1715351.1
MAINTENANCE SERVICES AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") is made as of November 21, 2023 by and between the City of Diamond Bar, a municipal corporation ("City") and HELIX Environmental Planning, Inc. ("Contractor").
1. Contractor's Services.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, Contractor shall provide to the reasonable satisfaction of the City, the Canyon Loop Trail Improvement Habitat Mitigation Monitoring Program (HMMP) Restoration Contractor Services set forth in the attached Exhibit "A", which is incorporated herein by this reference. As a material inducement to the City to enter into this Agreement, Contractor represents and warrants that it has thoroughly investigated the work and fully understands the difficulties and restrictions in performing the work. Contractor represents that it is fully qualified to perform such consulting services by virtue of its experience and the training, education and expertise of its principals and employees.
Ryan Wright, Parks & Recreation Director (herein referred to as the “City’s Project Manager”), shall be the person to whom the Contractor will report for the performance of services hereunder. It is understood that Contractor shall coordinate its services hereunder with the City’s Project Manager to the extent required by the City’s Project Manager, and that all performances required hereunder by Contractor shall be performed to the satisfaction of the City’s Project Manager and the City Manager
2. Term of Agreement. This Agreement shall take effect November 21, 2023 and shall continue until December 31, 2030 (“Term”), unless earlier terminated pursuant to the provisions herein.
The City shall have the option to extend this Agreement for two (2) additional one (1) year terms, subject to the same terms and conditions contained herein, by giving Consultant written notice of the exercise of this option at least thirty (30) days prior to the expiration of the initial Term. In the event the City exercises its option to extend the Term, Consultant's compensation shall be subject to an adjustment upon the effective date of extension as follows:
Any increase in compensation will be negotiated between the City and the Consultant, but in no event shall the increase exceed the amount that the Consumer Price Index ("CPI") for the Los Angeles-Anaheim-Riverside metropolitan area for the month immediately preceding the Adjustment Date (the "Index Month") as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor, has increased over the CPI for the month one year prior to the Index Month.
3. Compensation. City agrees to compensate Contractor for each service which Contractor performs to the satisfaction of City in compliance with the scope of services set forth in Exhibit "A". Payment will be made only after submission of proper invoices in the form specified by City. Total payment to Contractor pursuant to this Agreement shall not exceed Two hundred thirty-two thousand, six hundred eighty dollars ($232,680) without the prior written consent of the City. The above not to exceed amount shall include all costs, including, DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 1715351.1
but not limited to, all clerical, administrative, overhead, telephone, travel, and all related expenses.
4. Payment.
A. As scheduled services are completed, Contractor shall submit to City an invoice for the services completed, authorized expenses and authorized extra work actually performed or incurred.
B. All such invoices shall state the basis for the amount invoiced, including services completed, the number of hours spent, and any extra work performed.
C. City will pay Contractor the amount invoiced the City will pay Contractor the amount properly invoiced within 35 days of receipt.
D. Payment shall constitute payment in full for all services, authorized costs and authorized extra work covered by that invoice.
5. Change Orders. No payment for extra services caused by a change in the scope or complexity of work, or for any other reason, shall be made unless and until such extra services and a price therefore have been previously authorized in writing and approved by the City Manager or his designee as an amendment to this Agreement. The amendment shall set forth the changes of work, extension of time, if any, and adjustment of the fee to be paid by City to Contractor.
6. Priority of Documents. In the event of any inconsistency between the provisions of this Agreement and any attached exhibits, the provisions of this Agreement shall control. In the event of any inconsistency between this Agreement and the attached exhibits, the following order of precedence shall apply: (a) This Agreement; (b) The City's Request for Proposals, dated September 19, 2023, and (c) Consultant's Proposal dated October 17, 2023.
7. Status as Independent Contractor.
A. Contractor is, and shall at all times remain as to City, a wholly independent contractor. Contractor shall have no power to incur any debt, obligation, or liability on behalf of City or otherwise act on behalf of City as an agent, except as specifically provided herein.
Neither City nor any of its agents shall have control over the conduct of Contractor or any of Contractor's employees, except as set forth in this Agreement. Contractor shall not, at any time, or in any manner, represent that it or any of its agents or employees are in any manner employees of City.
B. Contractor agrees to pay all required taxes on amounts paid to Contractor under this Agreement, and to indemnify and hold City harmless from any and all taxes, assessments, penalties, and interest asserted against City by reason of the independent contractor relationship created by this Agreement. In the event that City is audited by any Federal or State agency or the Public Employee Retirement System regarding the independent contractor status of Contractor and the audit in any way fails to sustain the validity of a wholly independent contractor relationship between City and Contractor or its employees, then Contractor agrees to reimburse City for all costs, including accounting and attorney's fees, arising out of such audit and any appeals relating thereto.
DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 1715351.1
C. Contractor shall fully comply with Workers' Compensation laws regarding Contractor and Contractor's employees. Contractor further agrees to indemnify and hold City harmless from any failure of Contractor to comply with applicable Worker's Compensation laws.
D. Contractor shall, at Contractor’s sole cost and expense fully secure and comply with all federal, state and local governmental permit or licensing requirements, including but not limited to the City of Diamond Bar, South Coast Air Quality Management District, and California Air Resources Board.
E. In addition to any other remedies it may have, City shall have the right to offset against the amount of any fees due to Contractor under this Agreement any amount due to City from Contractor as a result of Contractor's failure to promptly pay to City any reimbursement or indemnification required by this Agreement or for any amount or penalty levied against the City for Contractor’s failure to comply with this Section.
8. Standard of Performance. Contractor shall perform all work at the standard of care and skill ordinarily exercised by members of the profession under similar conditions and represents that it and any subcontractors it may engage, possess any and all licenses which are required to perform the work contemplated by this Agreement and shall maintain all appropriate licenses during the performance of the work.
9. Unauthorized Aliens. Consultant hereby promises and agrees to comply with all of the provisions of the Federal Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C.A. § 1101 et seq., as amended, and in connection therewith, shall not employ unauthorized aliens as defined therein. Should Consultant so employ such unauthorized aliens for the performance of work and/or services covered by this Agreement, and should any liability or sanctions be imposed against City for such use of unauthorized aliens, Consultant hereby agrees to and shall reimburse City for the cost of all such liabilities or sanctions imposed, together with any and all costs, including reasonable attorney fees, incurred by City.
10. Indemnification.
Contractor shall indemnify, defend with counsel approved by City, and hold harmless City, its officers, officials, employees and volunteers ("Indemnitees") from and against all liability, loss, damage, expense, cost (including without limitation reasonable attorneys' fees, expert fees and all other costs and fees of litigation) of every nature arising out of or in connection with:
(1) Any and all claims under Worker’s Compensation acts and other employee benefit acts with respect to Contractor’s employees or Contractor’s contractor’s employees arising out of Contractor’s work under this Agreement; and (2) Any and all claims arising out of Contractor's performance of or failure to perform work hereunder or its failure to comply with any of its obligations contained in this Agreement, regardless of City’s passive negligence, but excepting such loss or damage which is caused by the sole active negligence or willful misconduct of the City.
Should City in its sole discretion find Contractor’s legal counsel unacceptable, then Contractor shall reimburse the City its costs of defense, including without limitation DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 1715351.1
reasonable attorneys' fees, expert fees and all other costs and fees of litigation. The Contractor shall promptly pay any final judgment rendered against the Indemnitees. It is expressly understood and agreed that the foregoing provisions are intended to be as broad and inclusive as is permitted by the law of the State of California and will survive termination of this Agreement. Except for the Indemnitees, this Agreement shall not be construed to extend to any third-party indemnification rights of any kind.
11. Insurance.
A. Prior to performance of work under this Agreement and at all times during the term of this Agreement Contractor shall carry, maintain, and keep in full force and effect, with an insurance company authorized to do business in the State of California and approved by the City the following insurance:
(1) a policy or policies of broad-form comprehensive general liability insurance written on an occurrence basis with minimum limits of $2,000,000.00 combined single limit coverage against any injury, death, loss or damage as a result of wrongful or negligent acts by Contractor, its officers, employees, agents, and independent contractors in performance of services under this Agreement; (2) property damage insurance with a minimum limit of $500,000.00 per occurrence;
(3) automotive liability insurance written on an occurrence basis covering all owned, non-owned and hired automobiles, with minimum combined single limits coverage of $2,000,000.00; and
(4) Worker's Compensation insurance when required by law, with a minimum limit of $500,000.00 or the amount required by law, whichever is greater.
B. The Indemnitees shall be named as additional insureds on the policies as to comprehensive general liability, property damage, and automotive liability. The policies as to comprehensive general liability, property damage, and automobile liability shall provide that they are primary, and that any insurance maintained by the City shall be excess insurance only.
C. All insurance policies shall provide that the insurance coverage shall not be nonrenewed, canceled, reduced, or otherwise modified (except through the addition of additional insureds to the policy) by the insurance carrier without the insurance carrier giving City at least ten (10) day's prior written notice thereof. Contractor agrees that it will not cancel, reduce, or otherwise modify the insurance coverage and in the event of any of the same by the insurer to immediately notify the City.
D. All policies of insurance shall cover the obligations of Contractor pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and shall be issued by an insurance company which is authorized to do business in the State of California or which is approved in writing by the City; and shall be placed have a current A.M. Best's rating of no less than A-, VII.
E. Contractor shall submit to City (1) insurance certificates indicating compliance with the minimum insurance requirements above, and (2) insurance policy endorsements or a DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 1715351.1
copy of the insurance policy evidencing the additional insured requirements in this Agreement, in a form acceptable to the City.
F. Self-Insured Retention/Deductibles. All policies required by this Agreement shall allow City, as additional insured, to satisfy the self-insured retention (“SIR”) and/or deductible of the policy in lieu of the Contractor (as the named insured) should Contractor fail to pay the SIR or deductible requirements. The amount of the SIR or deductible shall be subject to the approval of the City. Contractor understands and agrees that satisfaction of this requirement is an express condition precedent to the effectiveness of this Agreement. Failure by Contractor as primary insured to pay its SIR or deductible constitutes a material breach of this Agreement.
Should City pay the SIR or deductible on Contractor’s due to such failure in order to secure defense and indemnification as an additional insured under the policy, City may include such amounts as damages in any action against Contractor for breach of this Agreement in addition to any other damages incurred by City due to the breach.
G. Subrogation. With respect to any Workers' Compensation Insurance or Employer's Liability Insurance, the insurer shall waive all rights of subrogation and contribution it may have against the Indemnitees.
H. Failure to Maintain Insurance. If Contractor fails to keep the insurance required under this Agreement in full force and effect, City may take out the necessary insurance and any premiums paid, plus 10% administrative overhead, shall be paid by Contractor, which amounts may be deducted from any payments due Contractor.
I. Contractor shall include all subcontractors, if any, as insureds under its policies or shall furnish separate certificates and endorsements for each subcontractor to the City for review and approval. All insurance for subcontractors shall be subject to all of the requirements stated herein.
12. Confidentiality. Contractor in the course of its duties may have access to confidential data of City, private individuals, or employees of the City. Contractor covenants that all data, documents, discussion, or other information developed or received by Contractor or provided for performance of this Agreement are deemed confidential and shall not be disclosed by Contractor without written authorization by City. City shall grant such authorization if disclosure is required by law. All City data shall be returned to City upon the termination of this Agreement. Contractor's covenant under this section shall survive the termination of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent Contractor prepares reports of a proprietary nature specifically for and in connection with certain projects, the City shall not, except with Contractor's prior written consent, use the same for other unrelated projects.
13. Maintenance and Inspection of Records. In accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, Contractor and its subcontractors shall maintain reasonably full and complete books, documents, papers, accounting records, and other information (collectively, the “records”) pertaining to the costs of and completion of services performed under this Agreement. The City and any of their authorized representatives shall have access to and the right to audit and reproduce any of Contractor's records regarding the services provided under this Agreement. Contractor shall maintain all such records for a period of at least three (3) years after termination or completion of this Agreement. Contractor agrees to make available all such records for inspection or audit at its offices during normal business DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 1715351.1
hours and upon three (3) days' notice from the City, and copies thereof shall be furnished if requested.
14. Termination. The City may terminate this Agreement with or without cause upon fifteen (15) days' written notice to Contractor. The effective date of termination shall be upon the date specified in the notice of termination, or, in the event no date is specified, upon the fifteenth (15th) day following mailing of the notice. In the event of such termination, City agrees to pay Contractor for services satisfactorily rendered prior to the effective date of termination. Immediately upon receiving written notice of termination, Contractor shall discontinue performing services, unless the notice provides otherwise, except those services reasonably necessary to effectuate the termination. The City shall be not liable for any claim of lost profits.
15. Personnel. Contractor represents that it has, or will secure at its own expense, all personnel required to perform the services under this Agreement. All of the services required under this Agreement will be performed by Contractor or under it supervision, and all personnel engaged in the work shall be qualified to perform such services. Contractor reserves the right to determine the assignment of its own employees to the performance of Contractor's services under this Agreement, but City reserves the right, for good cause, to require Contractor to exclude any employee from performing services on City's premises.
16. Prevailing Wage. Notice is hereby given that in accordance with the provisions of California Labor Code, Division 2, Part 7, Chapter 1, Articles 1 and 2, the Contractor is required to pay not less than the general prevailing rate of per diem wages for work of a similar character in the locality in which the public works is performed, and not less than the general prevailing rate of per diem wages for holiday and overtime work. In that regard, the Director of the Department of Industrial Relations of the State of California is required to and has determined such general prevailing rates of per diem wages. Copies of such prevailing rates of per diem wages are on file in the Office of the City Clerk of the City of Diamond Bar, 21810 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, California, and are available to any interested party on request.
City also shall cause a copy of such determinations to be posted at the job site.
The Contractor shall forfeit, as penalty to City, not more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for each laborer, workman or mechanic employed for each calendar day or portion thereof, if such laborer, workman or mechanic is paid less than the general prevailing rate of wages hereinbefore stipulated for any work done under this Agreement, by him or by any subcontractor under him.
The CONTRACTOR and any of its subcontractors must be registered with the Department of Industrial Relations pursuant to Labor Code section 1725.5, which precludes the award of a contract for a public work on any public works project awarded after April 1, 2015. This Agreement is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations.
17. Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity.
A. Contractor shall not discriminate as to race, color, creed, religion, sex, marital status, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental handicap, medical condition, or sexual orientation, in the performance of its services and duties pursuant to this Agreement and will comply with all rules and regulations of City relating thereto. Such nondiscrimination shall DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 1715351.1
include but not be limited to the following: employment, upgrading, demotion, transfers, recruitment or recruitment advertising; layoff or termination; rates of pay or other forms of compensation; and selection for training, including apprenticeship.
B. Contractor will, in all solicitations or advertisements for employees placed by or on behalf of Contractor state either that it is an equal opportunity employer or that all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, marital status, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental handicap, medical condition, or sexual orientation.
C. Contractor will cause the foregoing provisions to be inserted in all subcontracts for any work covered by this Agreement except contracts or subcontracts for standard commercial supplies or raw materials.
18. Time Is of the Essence. Time is of the essence in this Agreement. Contractor shall do all things necessary and incidental to the prosecution of Contractor's work.
19. Delays and Extensions of Time. Contractor's sole remedy for delays outside its control shall be an extension of time. No matter what the cause of the delay, Contractor must document any delay and request an extension of time in writing at the time of the delay to the satisfaction of City. Any extensions granted shall be limited to the length of the delay outside Contractor’s control. If Contractor believes that delays caused by the City will cause it to incur additional costs, it must specify, in writing, why the delay has caused additional costs to be incurred and the exact amount of such cost within 10 days of the time the delay occurs.
No additional costs can be paid that exceed the not to exceed amount absent a written amendment to this Agreement. In no event shall the Contractor be entitled to any claim for lost profits due to any delay, whether caused by the City or due to some other cause.
20. Assignment. Contractor shall not assign or transfer any interest in this Agreement nor the performance of any of Contractor's obligations hereunder, without the prior written consent of City, and any attempt by Contractor to so assign this Agreement or any rights, duties, or obligations arising hereunder shall be void and of no effect.
21. Compliance with Laws. Contractor shall comply with all applicable laws, ordinances, codes and regulations of the federal, state, and local governments.
22. Non-Waiver of Terms, Rights and Remedies. Waiver by either party of any one or more of the conditions of performance under this Agreement shall not be a waiver of any other condition of performance under this Agreement. In no event shall the making by City of any payment to Contractor constitute or be construed as a waiver by City of any breach of covenant, or any default which may then exist on the part of Contractor, and the making of any such payment by City shall in no way impair or prejudice any right or remedy available to City with regard to such breach or default.
23. Attorney's Fees. In the event that either party to this Agreement shall commence any legal or equitable action or proceeding to enforce or interpret the provisions of this Agreement, the prevailing party in such action or proceeding shall be entitled to recover its costs of suit, including reasonable attorney's fees and costs, including costs of expert witnesses and consultants.
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24. Mediation. Any dispute or controversy arising under this Agreement, or in connection with any of the terms and conditions hereof, which cannot be resolved by the parties, may be referred by the parties hereto for mediation. A third party, neutral mediation service shall be selected, as agreed upon by the parties and the costs and expenses thereof shall be borne equally by the parties hereto. The parties agree to utilize their good faith efforts to resolve any such dispute or controversy so submitted to mediation. It is specifically understood and agreed by the parties hereto that mutual good faith efforts to resolve the same any dispute or controversy as provided herein, shall be a condition precedent to the institution of any action or proceeding, whether at law or in equity with respect to any such dispute or controversy.
25. Notices. Any notices, bills, invoices, or reports required by this Agreement shall be deemed received on (a) the day of delivery if delivered by hand during regular business hours or by facsimile before or during regular business hours; or (b) on the third business day following deposit in the United States mail, postage prepaid, to the addresses heretofore set forth in the Agreement, or to such other addresses as the parties may, from time to time, designate in writing pursuant to the provisions of this section. “CONTRACTOR” “CITY”
HELIX Environmental Planning City of Diamond Bar
7578 El Cajon Blvd. 21810 Copley Drive
La mesa, CA 91942 Diamond Bar, CA 91765-4178
Attn.: Erick McCracken, Contract Manager Attn: Ryan Wright, Parks & Recreation Director Phone: 619-668-7463 x283 Phone: 909-839-7061
E-Mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]
26. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be interpreted, construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of California.
27. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be the original, and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
28. Severability. If any term, condition, or covenant of this Agreement is declared or determined by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby, and the Agreement shall be read and construed without the invalid, void or unenforceable provision(s).
29. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, and any other documents incorporated herein by reference, represent the entire and integrated agreement between Contractor and City. This Agreement supersedes all prior oral or written negotiations, representations or agreements. This Agreement may not be amended, nor any provision or breach hereof waived, except in a writing signed by the parties which expressly refers to this Agreement.
Amendments on behalf of the City will only be valid if signed by a person duly authorized to do so under the City's Purchasing Ordinance.
DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 1715351.1
IN WITNESS of this Agreement, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.
"Contractor" "City"
HELIX Environmental Planning CITY OF DIAMOND BAR
By: ______ By: ____
Printed Name: Daniel Fox, City Manager
Title:
By: ATTEST:
Printed Name:
Title:
Kristina Santana, City Clerk
Approved as to form:
By:____
Omar Sandoval, City Attorney
State of California "CONTRACTOR'S" License No. ______ .
CONTRACTOR'S Business Phone ____________________.
Emergency Phone ________________________
at which CONTRACTOR can be reached at any time.
*NOTE: If Contractor is a corporation, the City requires the following signature(s):
-- (1) the Chairman of the Board, the President or a Vice-President, AND (2) the Secretary, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Secretary or an Assistant Treasurer. If only one corporate officer exists or one corporate officer holds more than one corporate office, please so indicate. OR
-- The corporate officer named in a corporate resolution as authorized to enter into this Agreement.
A copy of the corporate resolution, certified by the Secretary close in time to the execution of the Agreement, must be provided to the City.
DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC Principal
Justin Fischbeck
Principal
Justin Fischbeck
619.772.8419
619.462.1515 x283
831496
Canyon Loop Trail Improvment
Habitat Mitigation Monitoring Program
Restoration Contractor Services
Statement of Qualifications
October 17, 2023
EXHIBIT "A"
DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC HELIX Environmental Planning, Inc.
7578 El Cajon Boulevard
La Mesa, CA 91942
619.462.1515 tel
619.462.0552 fax
www.helixepi.com
October 17, 2023
City of Diamond Bar Parks & Recreation
Ryan Wright, Parks & Recreation Director
21810 Copley Drive
Diamond Bar, CA 91765
Subject: Statement of Qualifications for Canyon Loop Trail Improvement Habitat Mitigation Monitoring Program Restoration Contractor Services
Dear Mr. Wright:
HELIX Environmental Planning, Inc. (HELIX) is pleased to respond to the City of Diamond Bar’s (City) Request for Proposals (RFP) to provide Habitat Mitigation Monitoring Program Restoration Contractor Services for the Canyon Loop Trail Improvement program. Our team is qualified with extensive experience in habitat restoration and maintenance and expertise in southern California native and non-native flora and fauna.
As demonstrated in our Statement of Qualifications (SOQ), the HELIX team has the expertise, depth of staff, specialized knowledge, and hands-on experience necessary to provide excellent service to the City. HELIX specializes in the design, construction, and maintenance of native habitats, often as part of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and federal and state regulatory permitting required mitigation; invasive species removal and herbicide treatments in southern California habitats; erosion control Best Management Practice (BMP) installation and maintenance; irrigation installation and maintenance; native plant and seed installation; and fuel reduction management.
We have reviewed the City’s RFP and find all terms and conditions, including insurance requirements, acceptable. If you have any questions concerning this SOQ or need any additional information regarding HELIX, please contact me at [email protected] or 619.462.1515 ext. 205 or Erik McCracken at [email protected] or 619.668.7463 ext. 283.
Thank you for considering HELIX. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Justin Fischbeck
Principal
DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 2 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. PROJECT TEAM.....................................................3
2. CONTRACTOR'S EXPERIENCE & REFERENCES ..10
3. PROJECT UNDERSTANDING...............................13
4. FEE PROPOSAL....................................................17 DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 3 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services
1. PROJECT TEAM
Our team will consist of a Contract Manager, a Project
Manager, a Restoration Supervisor, a Land Manager, a
Restoration Foreman, a restoration field team of more
than 50 technicians, and biological resource
assistance from a Senior Biology Project Manager and
HELIX’s in-house Nursery Manager. HELIX will notify
the City of any changes in personnel during the
contract period and will provide the City with an
updated organizational chart and personnel
qualifications. This team has worked together for
multiple years and is experienced in various
approaches to habitat maintenance in sensitive areas.
Erik McCracken | Contract Manager
Education:
BS, Statistical Sciences;
BA, Environmental Studies
Mr. McCracken will serve as
Contract Manager and will be
responsible for managing the
contract requirements, including
task orders, invoicing, scheduling,
work performance, and developing strategies related
to the execution of this contract. Mr. McCracken has
experience managing and implementing large-scale
and complex projects, budget tracking and reporting,
coordinating multiple subcontractors and schedules,
supporting agency coordination and submittals, client
communications, and managing personnel. As a contract manager, he works closely with clients and biologists to develop implementation and maintenance strategies and with HELIX restoration crews and subcontractors in the field to ensure the plan is implemented successfully. By combining his experience in the construction field with his background in environmental studies and statistical sciences, Mr. McCracken provides data-based, adaptive management techniques for project constraints while remaining focused on implementing the environmental components needed to meet project success criteria. Mr. McCracken has managed numerous habitat restoration installation and maintenance projects for diverse clients, including municipalities, private developers, and utility providers. He coordinates with client project managers/staff, prepares scope and fee proposals, and manages task orders/projects. His management responsibilities include communicating with client points of contact, overseeing HELIX’s in-house specialists and subconsultants, preparing and tracking project schedules, keeping deliverables on time and within budget, performing quality control reviews, and processing invoices. Selected experience includes:
Orange County Waste & Recycling Central & North Region Landfill Habitat Management Contract Manager for habitat maintenance and erosion control services for the Orange County (OC) Waste and Recycling North and Central Regional Landfills. Activities include remedial planting, irrigation repair, non-native plant maintenance and removal, erosion control BMP installation and maintenance, and hand watering. Management tasks included developing task orders, scope and approaches, cost estimates, invoice review and management, quality control of DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 4 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services project reports and schedules, and budget tracking on over 17 task orders and seven project sites for OC Waste and Recycling.
Mesa Colima 500 kV Substation Mitigation – Habitat Restoration Plan Writing and Implementation Project Manager for the 22-acre restoration and preservation project associated with the Mesa Colima Substation. Tasks include the development of the Habitat Restoration Plan and Long-Term Management Plan, which required coordination with the California Public Utilities Commission, County of Los Angeles, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the project biologist, and project development team. Following the development of the project plans, crew tasks included weed control, safety planning and implementation, and mitigation reporting. Steep slopes on the project required developing a safety plan to implement rappelling work to control non-natives. Management activities also include client coordination, review of information to be uploaded to an online reporting database, coordination of responses to public inquiries, and tracking of project conditions relative to success criteria. Work performed for Southern California Edison.
French Valley Community Integrated Mitigation Plan
Project Manager for the habitat restoration project to mitigate impacts of the Clinton Keith Road construction in Riverside County. The 12-acre mitigation project is divided between an 8-acre off-site and a four-acre on-site habitat restoration effort. Tasks include excavation and grading of a disturbed channel, exporting 12,000 cubic yards of soil, installing rip-rap and other water retention features, and installing irrigation, native container plants, and hydroseed.
HELIX will maintain the sites for up to five years to meet final success criteria. Work performed for Riverside County Transportation Department.
Foothill Parkway Westerly Extension Mitigation
Project Manager overseeing the site preparation, grading, and invasive species removal for the City of Corona’s Foothill Parkway Westerly Extension Mitigation project. The project has two active mitigation sites requiring removal of nonnative species through heavy equipment, hand removal, and herbicide application. Site One is a 43-acre mitigation site consisting primarily of coastal sage scrub habitat. Tasks include removal of non-native trees and annual weed species, trash cleanup, fence installation, and installation of water services. Site Two is a 40-acre riparian site, primarily consisting of non-native vegetation such as Arundo, tamarisk, eucalyptus, palm trees, pepper trees, and non-native annual species. Tasks include removal of non-natives and trash within a 40-working day period to prevent potential setbacks during bird breeding season.
Stadium Wetland Mitigation Project
Project Manager for installation and maintenance of a 57-acre habitat restoration project within the active San Diego River channel between I-15 and I-805, south of former Qualcomm Stadium, in Mission Valley, San Diego. Tasks managed include coordination with City and project biologists, Caltrans, City of San Diego recycled water staff, Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPP) development and implementation, removal of non-native species within the river channel, management of subcontractors, installation of 27 acres of irrigation, installation of over 20,000 container plants, installation of two-plus miles of chain-link fence, and grading of secondary channels to create additional wetland mitigation acreage. Management of the maintenance phase includes weed abatement, irrigation repair, trash cleanup, vandalism repair, fence repair, and plant replacement. The project was performed for the City of San Diego and will serve as mitigation for multiple Public Utilities Department improvement projects. It was successfully completed in spring 2023.
DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 5 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services Stephen Zetterberg | Project Manager
Education: BS, Environmental Systems: Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution Registration: Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Remote Pilot’s License for Small Unmanned Aircraft No. 4079102 Mr. Zetterberg will serve as Project Manager and ensure continuous and effective communication with the City and the project team. Mr. Zetterberg is a Construction Project Manager for habitat restoration and construction projects throughout Southern California. He has five years of experience and works diligently with project managers, restoration crews, and biologists to ensure clients’ needs are met, and projects are successful. He has experience managing a wide variety of project aspects, from the initial planning stage to implementation and through final sign-off for project completion with governmental agencies. Mr. Zetterberg is skilled in habitat restoration, understanding ecological relationships, construction and installation, and habitat maintenance. Mr. Zetterberg provides quality management techniques and technical skills to solve environmental issues for projects. One of Mr. Zetterberg’s technical skills is developing and managing Survey123, an ArcGIS application. This GIS-enabled data management platform allows thorough collection of daily information from field crew members and is essential for successful projects. His surveys now have thousands of data records collecting staff timesheets, field activity, and safety data. Another unique ability Mr. Zetterberg brings is the skillful use of drones, or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), for environmental purposes. He was the architect of HELIX’s in-house drone program and earned his FAA Part 107 pilot’s license. Mr. Zetterberg and his team fly projects from five to 500 acres, producing high-quality maps, terrain models, three-dimensional models, photography, and videography. Selected experience includes:
Orange County Waste & Recycling Central and North Region Landfill Habitat Management Project Manager for habitat maintenance and erosion control services for OC Waste and Recycling North and Central Regional Landfills. Activities include remedial planting, irrigation repair, non-native plant maintenance and removal, erosion control BMP installation and maintenance, and hand watering.
Mesa Colima 500 kV Substation Mitigation - HRP and Interim Maintenance Assistant Project Manager for the 22-acre restoration and preservation project associated with the Mesa Colima Substation. This off-site parcel is located on Southern California Edison-owned property and falls between existing TRTP towers along the Section 8 alignment. Tasks include management of crews for weed control, safety planning and implementation, and online reporting. Work performed for Southern California Edison.
French Valley Community Integrated Mitigation Plan
Assistant Project Manager for restoration services to mitigate the impacts of the construction of Clinton Keith Road in Riverside County. The 12-acre mitigation project is divided between an 8-acre off-site and a 4-acre on-site habitat restoration effort. Tasks include removing non-native trees, excavating and grading a disturbed channel, exporting 12,000 cubic yards of soil, installing rip-rap and other water retention features, installing irrigation, native container plants, hydroseed, and a five-year maintenance program. HELIX will maintain the sites for five years to meet the final success criteria. Maintenance activities include weed abatement, herbicide application, irrigation repair, and plant replacement. Work performed for Riverside County Transportation Department.
Trabuco and Modjeska Habitat Restoration
Project Manager for habitat installation, maintenance, and monitoring in Trabuco Canyon. Coordinated the installation of hydroseed and native container plants in several project areas in Trabuco Canyon. Managed biological monitors and field staff to monitor and maintain the habitat installed. A water buffalo was used to hand water emerging native species opportunistically in the project area and achieved sign-off on two project areas permitted under the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. Work performed for Orange County Public Works.
Santa Clarita McBean & Newhall Ranch Road CIP Maintenance Project Manager for non-native plant removal, fencing, irrigation maintenance, and tree planting as part of the DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 6 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services installation phase throughout a 7-acre project area for the City of Santa Clarita, CA. Approximately 1,000 cuttings were installed and irrigated using drip irrigation. Coordinated HELIX biological monitors that performed a tree inventory and assessment for the mitigation trees of the approximately 7-acre mitigation site located within the City of Santa Clarita.
HELIX was awarded a 5-year maintenance contract under a separate agreement for an additional 4-year period. Current tasks include vegetation management and monitoring and irrigation installation and maintenance.
Lauren Singleton | Senior Biology Project Manager
Education: MS, Biology; BS, Biology/Ecology Minor, Chemistry Registration: Qualified California Rapid Assessment Method, Practitioner; USFWS, Endangered and Threatened Wildlife Species Permit (Authorized to conduct surveys for the coastal California gnatcatcher), No. ES-778195-15
Ms. Singleton is a Senior Biology Project Manager with 13 years of experience. She prepares a variety of technical reports, including CEQA-level biological technical reports, Habitat Mitigation and Monitoring Plans, Long-term Management Plans, and mitigation annual technical monitoring reports.
Ms. Singleton has performed biological fieldwork throughout Southern California counties involving habitat assessments, vegetation mapping, tree surveys, construction and mitigation monitoring, wetland delineations, jurisdictional delineations, and California Rapid Assessment Methods (CRAM). She is skilled in identifying local flora and fauna and has conducted focused surveys for rare plants, burrowing owl, and least Bell’s vireo. She is permitted by the USFWS to independently conduct surveys for federally listed coastal California gnatcatcher. Ms. Singleton also has expertise in invertebrate pests, such as the goldspotted oak borer and polyphagous shot hole borer. She has additional specialized experience in stream ecology and is trained in conducting bioassessment following the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program protocol. Selected experience includes:
Mesa Colima 500 kV Substation Mitigation Habitat Restoration & Mitigation Plan and Interim Maintenance Biologist assisting in the development of a Habitat Restoration and Mitigation Plan (HRMP) and Long-Term Management Plan (LTMP) for an off-site 20-acre mitigation site in the cities of Hacienda Heights, La Habra Heights, and Whittier, as well as unincorporated Los Angeles County. This off-site parcel is located on Southern California Edison (SCE) owned right-of-way and falls between existing Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project (TRTP) towers along the Section 8 alignment. The HRMP was developed to guide the restoration of 16 acres of coastal sage scrub habitat to offset project impacts on this community. The LTMP was prepared to guide the perpetual management of the 20-acre mitigation site, including developing a preliminary endowment estimate. The HRMP and LTMP will be sent for approval by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). HELIX’s other tasks have included documenting baseline conditions on the mitigation site, implementing interim weed control, safety planning and implementation, and FRED reporting. Work performed for SCE.
Mt. San Antonio College East Parcel Habitat Mitigation Biological Consulting Lead Biologist during mitigation implementation for the Mt. San Antonio College’s East Parel Restoration Project in the City of Walnut, Los Angeles County, California. Monitored planting activities during Venturan coastal sage scrub installation as mitigation for impacts to occupied CAGN habitat. Monitoring activities included verifying project limits, identifying non-native species for removal, reviewing plant and seed purchase orders, and inspecting plant material.
Prepared a post-installation report documenting all monitoring activities and as-built conditions of the mitigation site.
Conducted monthly maintenance monitoring and coordinated with the maintenance contractor regarding recommended action items. Work performed for Mt. San Antonio College.
Chino Hills Peyton Drive Phase 3 and English Channel/Creek Habitat Mitigation Lead Biologist during mitigation implementation for the Chino Hills’ Peyton Drive Phase 3 Project in the City of Chino Hills, San Bernardino County. Monitored grading and planting activities during mitigation installation. Verified the project limits, monitored vegetation removal within the grading footprint, advised the contractor of non-native species that needed to be removed, and recommended planting locations. Attended weekly meetings with the City and contractors to discuss project progress and identify any concerns. Prepared a post-installation report documenting all DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 7 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services monitoring activities and as-built conditions of the mitigation site. Work performed as a subcontractor to AKM Consulting Engineers, with the City of Chino Hills as the lead agency.
Culver Drive/University Drive Intersection Improvements, Construction Monitoring, Habitat Mitigation & Monitoring Plan Implementation
Biologist for the City of Irvine’s proposed road improvements to the intersection of Culver Drive and University Drive in the City of Irvine, Orange County. Conducted nesting bird surveys and monitoring during project construction.
Completed the Year One CRAM assessment for the William R. Mason Regional Park mitigation areas. Work performed for the City of Irvine.
Saddle Crest Project
Biologist for a proposed residential development in the Community of Trabuco Canyon in Orange County. Conducted a baseline CRAM assessment for the proposed impact and mitigation areas. Also conducted pre-construction surveys for nesting birds and sensitive reptile species and provided biological monitoring during project construction.
Stephen Steward | Nursery Manager
Education: College courses in Ecology & Conservation Biology Registration: International Society of Arboriculture, Certified Arborist No. WE-12254A Mr. Steward is a Certified Arborist recognized by the International Society of Arboriculture. He has extensive experience in native plant horticulture, habitat restoration, and biological monitoring and management. Stephen began his career in 1999 with the Zoological Society of San Diego, where he managed and propagated endangered reptile and amphibian species. He also worked on in-situ conservation projects for the Society in Southern California, Mexico, the Caribbean, and India.
Stephen transitioned to native plant horticulture in 2006, where he was hired as the cactus and succulents propagator for Desert Survivors Native Plant Nursery in Tucson, Arizona. In 2012, Stephen became the horticulturist for Pima County, Arizona, where he managed a native plant-growing operation. Since 2014, Mr. Steward has served as Nursery Manager for HELIX, where he is responsible for the propagation of native plant species for HELIX projects. As nursery manager, Mr. Steward is engaged in all aspects of the restoration process, from monitoring plant health and diversity at project sites to species selection and general landscape consultation. Selected experience includes:
Tijuana River Valley Regional Park Southwest Trails Phase III Nursery Manager and Consulting Horticulturalist for a trail restoration project in the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park in in the City of Imperial Beach. Activities include the propagation and growth of native plant materials for the project, as well as plant palette design and consultation. Work performed for the County of San Diego.
Landscape Design for North City Water Reclamation Plant Consulting Horticulturalist for the plant material reuse effort at the San Diego North City Water Reclamation Plant facility.
Activities were focused on the methodology of cactus and succulent salvage and reinstallation, including some consultation with the design contractor for the final design. Work performed for the City of San Diego.
Sycamore Landfill Biological & Sensitive Species Mitigation Services Nursery Manager for the sensitive species mitigation work at the Sycamore Landfill translocation site. Activities are mainly focused on the seed/acorn collection and propagation of four sensitive species at the nursery: Bloomeria clevelandii Dudleya variegata, Quercus dumosa and Ferocactus viridescens. Specialized horticultural techniques are being developed and implemented to achieve greater success with the reintroduction of these particularly challenging species.
Mast Park Project
Nursery Manager for species survey and propagation of plant material for the 12.7-acre San Diego River/Mast Park project wetland restoration and enhancement areas in the City of Santee. Initial responsibilities included preliminary site DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 8 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services evaluations, species identification, and seed/material collection. The bulk of the activity was the propagation and growth of restoration plants for the project. Work performed for the City of Santee.
Balboa & I-15 Canyon Long-Term Access Project
Designated Horticulturalist for the Long-Term Access Project for the City of San Diego, located at Balboa & I-15 Canyon in a critical watershed along the I-15 corridor. Horticultural activities included the collection of seeds from the endangered Ceanothus verrucosus for future propagation and revegetation of the canyon. Responsibilities also included assessing the health and viability of existing C. verrucosus and locating additional specimens on-site.
Otay Crossings Commerce Park Habitat Restoration at Lonestar Ridge Nursery Manager for the Otay Crossings Project in San Diego County. Responsible for salvaging San Diego Barrel Cactus – Ferocactus viridescens from the construction site and the subsequent replanting on mima mounds at the mitigation and vernal pool location. Various geophyte species (Chlorogallum, Dichelostemma, Calochortus) were also salvaged from the vernal pool site during the basin dredging and managed further at the nursery.
Jason Saude | Restoration Supervisor
Mr. Saude is a Restoration Supervisor for habitat restoration and construction projects in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. He has more than 20 years of experience in construction and landscaping on projects throughout California. He is an expert in workplace safety and is Cal OSHA certified. He has experience supervising a wide variety of projects, including managing crews, leading training and safety meetings, and working closely with government agencies. Selected experience includes:
Orange County Waste & Recycling Central and North Region Landfill Habitat Management Restoration Supervisor for habitat maintenance and erosion control services for OC Waste and Recycling North and Central Regional Landfills. Activities include irrigation management and repair, native plant maintenance, and hand watering.
Mesa Colima 500 kV Substation Fall 2022 Habitat Mitigation Installation Restoration Supervisor for the 22-acre restoration and preservation project associated with the Mesa Colima Substation.
This off-site parcel is located on Southern California Edison-owned property and falls between existing TRTP towers along the Section 8 alignment. Tasks include management of crews for site preparation and maintenance, safety planning and implementation, and communication with client. Work performed for Southern California Edison.
French Valley Community Integrated Mitigation Plan
Restoration Supervisor for restoration services to mitigate impacts of the Clinton Keith Road construction in Riverside County. The 12-acre mitigation project is divided between an eight-acre off-site and a four-acre on-site habitat restoration effort. Tasks include removing non-native trees, excavating and grading a disturbed channel, exporting 12,000 cubic yards of soil, installing rip-rap and other water retention features, installing irrigation, native container plants, hydroseed, and a five-year maintenance program. Provided weed abatement, irrigation repair and maintenance, data collection, and reporting. Work performed for Riverside County Transportation Department.
Santa Clarita McBean & Newhall Ranch Road Environmental Mitigation Restoration Supervisor for streambed restoration projects to mitigate impacts from widening the Newhall Ranch Road Bridge over San Francisquito Creek in the City of Santa Clarita in Los Angeles County. The project included the treatment of invasive species and restoration of riparian habitat. Supervised restoration crews, conducted safety protocol meetings, conducted herbicide applications and invasive species removal.
DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 9 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services Francisco Cortez | Land Manager
Mr. Cortez has more than ten years of experience in the landscape industry working as a foreman in Orange County. He is responsible for independently assessing the status of restoration projects in the maintenance phase. Additional responsibilities include programming irrigation controllers, irrigation repairs, optimizing labor efficiency based on weed stage of growth/weather/budget, and data collection. Selected experience includes:
Mesa Colima 500 kV Substation Off-site Habitat Mitigation Land Manager for the 22-acre restoration and preservation project associated with the Mesa Colima Substation. This off-site parcel is located on Southern California Edison-owned property and falls between existing TRTP towers along the Section 8 alignment. Tasks include managing irrigation crews and providing weed abatement spraying through rappelling work on steep slopes. Work performed for Southern California Edison.
West of Devers 220kV Upgrade Habitat Restoration and Revegetation Plan Land Manager for restoring areas temporarily impacted by the construction of the West of Devers transmission line project to pre-existing conditions. Responsible for overseeing restoration crew activities, including weeding, replanting, reseeding, trash hauling, and providing supplemental irrigation to established plantings.
French Valley Community Integrated Mitigation Plan
Land Manager for restoration services to mitigate impacts of the Clinton Keith Road construction in Riverside County.
The 12-acre mitigation project is divided between an eight-acre off-site and a four-acre on-site habitat restoration effort.
Tasks include removing non-native trees, installing irrigation, native container plants, hydroseed, and a five-year maintenance program. Provided plant establishment work and maintenance, including overseeing the irrigation installation crew, transporting native plants from the HELIX nursery to the site, and irrigation repair.
McBean Parkway and Newhall Ranch Road Bridge Environmental Mitigation Tree Maintenance Land Manager for a seven-acre restoration project area in the City of Santa Clarita. Approximately 1,000 cuttings were installed and irrigated using drip irrigation as well as irrigation repair and non-native plant removal. Following installation, HELIX is providing long-term maintenance for the site. Responsible for irrigation inspections and repair.
San Jacinto River Preserve Restoration
Land Manager for habitat restoration and mitigation for impacts caused by Southern California Edison in Valle Vista in Riverside County. Oversaw crew providing non-native vegetation maintenance in impacted areas around Poles. Work performed for Southern California Edison.
Donald Anderson| Restoration Foreman
Mr. Anderson has a background in landscaping and gardening, with 18 years of experience providing landscape maintenance services. Upon joining HELIX in 2011, Mr. Anderson has since led restoration crews on habitat projects ranging from hundreds of acres to small parcels. He is an expert in the various tasks and duties integral to habitat construction and restoration, such as habitat creation, maintenance, irrigation, weed abatement, vegetation thinning and removal, erosion control, identifying native plants, and herbicide application. Selected experience includes:
OC Waste & Recycling Central and North Region Landfill Habitat Management Restoration Foreman for habitat maintenance and erosion control services for the OC Waste and Recycling North and Central Regional Landfills. Managing field crew activities that include remedial planting, irrigation repair, non-native plant maintenance and removal, erosion control BMP installation and maintenance, and hand watering. Work performed for Orange County Waste and Recycling.
Sweetwater Loop Trail Mitigation Site
Restoration Lead for restoration and enhancement for an open space easement totaling 1.76 acres as part of mitigation DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 10 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services for the SR-125 extension project located in the unincorporated community of Spring Valley, San Diego County. The project consisted of 1.5 acres of southern willow scrub and 0.26 acres of maritime succulent scrub within the Sweetwater Loop Trail and included vegetation clearing and native plant installation. Work performed for the County of San Diego.
Briggs Road
Restoration Lead for enhancement of an approximately 16.5-acre site in Riverside County, where the coastal sage scrub habitat was seeded with native species. Assisted with continued habitat maintenance. Work performed for a private developer.
North Torrey Pines Bridge Replacement MND
Restoration Lead for restoration of 1.34 acres of coastal sage scrub habitat located within the Torrey Pines State Reserve and 1.76 acres of habitat creation off-site in San Diego County. Restoration activity included dethatching the site, installing temporary above-ground irrigation, grow/kill cycles to reduce non-native plant cover, thinning dominant native shrubs, and installing container plantings and native seed collected from the restoration site. Maintenance activity continued for five years. Work performed for the City of San Diego.
2. CONTRACTOR’S EXPERIENCE & REFERENCES
Since 2003, HELIX has provided environmental-related construction and maintenance services, including habitat restoration, invasive plant removal, irrigation installation, plant and seed installation, stormwater BMP installation and maintenance, and fuel reduction management services.
HELIX has also assisted the County of Orange, City of Irvine, City, and County, of Riverside, County of San Diego, City of San Diego, City of Chula Vista, California State Parks, and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) among others in developing and implementing habitat restoration design and maintenance work plans. The plans we write are created in collaboration with our clients, accounting for specific project needs, and completed plans are frequently implemented by HELIX restoration staff. These efforts have primarily focused on public agency-owned land, ranging in size from less than 1/4 acre to hundreds of acres of vegetation removal and invasive species control.
Our in-house habitat restoration team includes project managers, habitat restoration specialists, skilled supervisors, equipment operators, and more than 50 knowledgeable field restoration technicians. Our project managers and field crews are experienced in restoring all San Diego native habitat types, including riparian, wetland, upland, grassland, vernal pool, scrub-shrub, desert, tidal wetlands, and more. Habitat restoration projects have access to HELIX’s in-house native plant nursery that can develop an inventory of plants not only native to Los Angeles County but specific to precise project locations.
Field crews are trained in habitat restoration practices, including equipment operation, native and non-native plant identification, seed collection and plant propagation, herbicide application, invasive exotic species removal techniques, site preparation, irrigation installation, planting, seeding, and the installation and maintenance of stormwater best management practices. Using heavy equipment, mechanical tools, power equipment, hand tools, and herbicide treatment, HELIX field crews have conducted vegetation management and invasive species control on all vegetation communities while protecting adjacent native species and habitat. HELIX field crews maintain a high level of technical skills. They understand biological communities on project sites, carefully avoiding sensitive bird nesting habitats/seasons and special-status plant species and taking extra precautions to preserve sensitive resources. HELIX field crews are accustomed to working closely with project biologists and clients to achieve project goals while protecting sensitive resources.
DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 11 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services HELIX has worked on hundreds of projects, delivering cost-effective results that benefit the environment and the adjacent public and private properties. We have worked on numerous projects throughout Southern California and are familiar with the environmental concerns of working in local habitats and rugged terrain. Our restoration/maintenance staff and biologists have the expertise and capabilities to provide all the work identified in the City’s RFP and exceed the City’s expectations for this contract.
With a valid State of California C-27 Landscaping and Class A General Contractor’s license (#831496), Pest Control Business license (#32774), California Qualified Applicator’s Licenses (QAL) for categories B and C, and Qualified Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) Practitioner (QSP) certifications, HELIX is qualified to provide a full range of habitat restoration, invasive species treatment, and stormwater BMP management services.
A selected list of recent projects highlighting our work and experience with native plant installation, native habitat experience, public lands experience, and environmental permit compliance follows.
Orange County Waste & Recycling
North and Central Region Landfill Habitat Management
Since 2017, HELIX has been the maintenance
contractor for the OC Waste & Recycling
North and Central Region Landfills. To date,
HELIX has successfully performed work under
21 task orders, ranging from routine
maintenance on landfill slopes, maintenance
of mitigation sites including Wetland Channel
and West Basin sites, repair of and
installation of SWPPP BMPs, oak tree
mitigation replanting and hand watering
within Santiago Canyon, closed landfill
maintenance tasks at Santiago Canyon and
Gothard Station, and site beautification
efforts at Frank R. Bowerman and Olinda
Alpha Landfills. Maintenance activities
included removing dead and dying plant
material pursuant to Orange County Fire
Authority Vegetation Management
Guidelines within a 170’ Fuel Modification
Zone surrounding the flare station and flare
stacks. Upon completion, the Orange County
Fire Department inspected and approved fuel
management activities. HELIX is conducting
habitat maintenance and erosion control
services for the Orange County Waste and
Recycling North and Central Regional
Landfills. The project includes multiple onsite wetland mitigation areas and off-site mitigation for oak trees at Santiago Oaks
Regional Park, native slopes within the inactive
Santiago Regional Landfill, maintained slopes
within the Frank R. Bowerman Landfill, and native habitat areas on adjacent Orange County Parks lands. The project also includes maintenance within the Olinda Alpha Regional Landfill and Gothard Disposal Station on an as-needed basis.
Project Manager: Weena Dalby
949.262.2433/[email protected]
DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 12 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services Southern California Edison
Mitigation & Restoration Services On-Call Contract
HELIX is the prime consultant for the Southern
California Edison (SCE) Mitigation &
Restoration Services (MARS) on-call contract to
provide compensatory mitigation and habitat
restoration technical and construction services
to the SCE Environmental Services Division to
support construction projects and Operations
and Maintenance (O&M) activities. SCE is
required to mitigate impacts on biological
resources resulting from the removal,
relocation, modification, and/or construction
of transmission, sub-transmission, distribution,
or telecommunication structures, as well as
other construction activities necessary to
support this contract. Since 2019, HELIX has
actively worked on over 60 task orders for
projects in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Orange,
and Riverside counties. HELIX has provided a
wide range of support services through this
contract, including baseline biological surveys,
vegetation mapping, tree health inventory, tree
hazard risk assessments, focused species surveys, nesting bird surveys, fisheries/aquatic resources support, construction monitoring, restoration implementation and monitoring, permitting and agency support, CEQA and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) support, and erosion control support. Projects from this on-call include:
• Mesa Colima 500 kV Substation Off-site Habitat Mitigation | Los Angeles County In addition to conducting weed maintenance, HELIX prepared the Habitat Restoration and Mitigation Plan (HRMP) and Long-Term Management Plan (LTMP) for the Mesa Colima Off-site Mitigation project. The Mesa Colima Substation project consists of constructing the new Mesa 500kV Substation in the City of Monterey Park, as well as additional project components that pass through the Cities of Montebello, South El Monte, Bell Gardens, Pasadena, Commerce, and portions of unincorporated Los Angeles County. The HRMP was developed to restore approximately 16 acres of coastal sage scrub habitat located directly adjacent to occupied coastal California gnatcatcher habitat.
Maintenance activities include spot spraying herbicides that target invasive species, including mustard, Russian thistle, and fennel. HELIX developed a site-specific safety plan for Mesa Colima and is involved in SCE’s Field Reporting Environmental Database (FRED) reporting as part of this Tier 1 Safety project. • Idle Transmission Line Removal - TD 1104776 | Orange County HELIX provided biological and restoration services for a utility project to decommission and remove approximately a one-half mile of idle transmission line in the City of Laguna Beach. HELIX performed biological surveys, monitoring, reporting, restoration, and maintenance in areas temporarily disturbed by construction activities associated with the full or partial removal of idle power poles and perimeter fence maintenance. Work was conducted within the vicinity of sensitive habitat and rare plants. During construction, HELIX biological monitors worked with contractors to identify sensitive resources and develop solutions to conduct work while avoiding these resources.
Project Manager: Renee Latu
626.476.8506 /[email protected]
DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 13 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services • West of Devers 220kV Upgrade Habitat Restoration and Revegetation Plan | Riverside County HELIX is supporting SCE’s West of Devers transmission line project by restoring areas temporarily impacted by construction to pre-existing conditions. Restoration activities include but are not limited to, weeding, replanting, reseeding, and providing supplemental irrigation to established plantings. HELIX is also performing monthly qualitative monitoring and annual quantitative monitoring on all active restoration areas and preparing an annual report to document site progress.
Riverside County Transportation Department
French Valley Community Integrated Mitigation Plan
Since 2020, HELIX has been providing habitat
restoration services to mitigate the Clinton Keith
Road construction impacts in Riverside County.
The 12-acre mitigation project is divided
between an eight-acre off-site and a four-acre
on-site habitat restoration effort. Tasks include
removing non-native trees, excavating and
grading a disturbed channel, exporting 12,000
cubic yards of soil, installing rip-rap and other
water retention features, installing irrigation,
native container plants, hydroseed, and a fiveyear maintenance program. HELIX will maintain the sites for five years to meet the final success
criteria. Maintenance activities include weed
abatement, herbicide application, irrigation
repair, and plant replacement.
3. PROJECT UNDERSTANDING
HELIX has reviewed the project documentation and understands the requirements of the RFP and the project goals.
HELIX has prepared an approach to implementation and maintenance based on the HMMP details and has provided alternatives, as requested by the City that can be implemented to enhance or supplement the scope of work as-needed based on an adaptive management approach.
The project requires the restoration of a 0.10 acre disturbed upland area into coast prickly pear scrub (CPPS) habitat and enhancement of two separate sites, Site A (0.05 acres) and Site B (0.09 acres), into California sagebrush–black sage scrub (CSBSS) habitat. The restoration and enhancement areas are set within the Summitridge Park Canyon Loop Trail, used by members of the community as a recreational trail, and is serving as mitigation for the trail improvements made by the City. The mitigation sites have sensitive resources adjacent to and throughout the park, including nesting birds, which must be protected and avoided during nesting season. Mitigation has set criteria to be met by the end of the five-year maintenance period and are based on reference sites for each respective habitat. HELIX is prepared to work alongside the City and their selected Project Biologist to implement and maintain the restoration and enhancement areas to meet the success criteria listed in the HMMP and has outlined an approach below to reach those goals in a cost-effective and timely manner.
Project Manager: David Hyklema
951.850.6075/[email protected]
DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 14 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services
TECHNICAL APPROACH
Pre-Construction Tasks
HELIX will immediately work to execute the contract upon award. HELIX will prepare and send in necessary contract documentation, such as certificates of insurance and necessary prevailing wage information. HELIX will schedule a kickoff meeting with the City and Project Biologists to discuss the project. A draft agenda will be sent prior to the meeting and will include topics such as introduction of staff, scope and approach, schedule of activities, sensitive resource avoidance, nesting bird surveys, and safety and job hazards. After the kick-off meeting, HELIX will send out meeting notes and action items. HELIX will finalize the schedule and send out a final version. HELIX will begin mobilization of materials and equipment in anticipation of the first day of fieldwork.
A HELIX biologist will conduct pre-construction nesting bird surveys prior to clearing and maintenance activities that occur within the general bird nesting season (generally, February 15 through September 15). The survey will be conducted within three days of the start of clearing and maintenance activities. Following completion of the survey, a summary of the results will be sent to the City and restoration biologist via e-mail. If nesting birds were identified during the survey, the summary will include a map of active nest(s) and corresponding setback buffer from the active nest based on the project requirements, species, nest location, and other environmental factors. This task does not include additional site visits to conduct nest monitoring or determine the status of nests, which would require a separate scope of services. If survey results are negative and/or not impacting the project work areas, HELIX will start work according to the schedule. If survey results impact the work areas, HELIX will coordinate with the City to determine alternative approaches and schedules.
Site Preparation
HELIX will begin on-site activities with a safety discussion of the job hazard analysis. A job hazard analysis (JHA) is a part of every morning’s safety tailgate meeting. The job hazard analysis is led by crew members and discusses job activities, hazards, risks, risk mitigation and proper Personal Protective Equipment Use. Following the safety meeting, HELIX will ensure that sensitive resources within and adjacent to the project site are flagged. HELIX crew members are trained on native versus non-native plant identification. However, the location of any sensitive resources will be identified to the entire crew prior to work starting, including plants, potential nests, or other animal habitat. HELIX will undergo contractor training program provided by the Project Restoration Ecologist.
HELIX will begin weed removal activities by cutting and bagging live seed heads for removal off-site. The remaining biomass of non-native grasses and herbaceous annuals will then be mulched using weed whips on-site and will be spread to less than 2’’ in depth. The organic biomass will break down into the soil over the first year. Woody non-native material that cannot be mulched will be cut and removed from the site. Small trash and debris will be removed. After clearing the area, HELIX will install perimeter fencing using silt fence. The silt fence will not be trenched in for erosion control purposes. Instead, the silt fence has a dual purpose as a barrier to prevent weed seeds from coming onto the site from adjacent areas and also serves as a boundary marker to deter members of the public from accessing and disturbing the restoration effort.
Lastly, HELIX will install up to eight restoration signs, as listed in the HMMP. The signs will state “DO NOT ENTER RESTORATION IN PROGRESS” and will be greater than one foot by one foot in size, and will be labeled in English, Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, and Cantonese. The signs will be attached to the posts of the silt fence.
Weed Abatement Prior to Planting and Seeding
Following the completion of the site preparation activities, HELIX will perform weed abatement activities described in the HMMP. Weed abatement will include hand pulling, weed whipping, and as-needed herbicide application. HELIX holds multiple Qualified Applicator Licenses, and all employees are trained on the safe and appropriate use of herbicides. Any spraying activities will be coordinated with the City and conducted only in appropriate weather DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 15 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services conditions. Each weed abatement activity that occurs within the nesting season will be preceded by a nesting bird survey in accordance with the scope provided for surveys above. Weed abatement activities will be performed to remove any non-native growth establishing on-site. HELIX Land Manager Francisco Cortez will perform monthly spot checks and work with the Project Manager and Project Biologist to time weed abatement events, so they are most effective. It is expected that two weed abatement events will occur, with the first in early Spring 2024 and the second in summer 2024. Additional weed abatement events may be needed and are provided as an alternative.
Plant and Seed Installation
Installation activities will begin with a site visit to determine whether additional weed abatement activities are required prior to planting and seeding. HELIX will work with the City and project biologist to make this determination. Once the site is determined to be ready for planting and seeding, HELIX will begin implementation activities with cutting collection from nearby source material after the first significant rainfall of the fall/winter season in 2024. Cuttings of coast prickly pear plant material will follow the HMMP specifications, including the restrictions on quantity, type, and location of cutting collection. HELIX’s Nursery Manager will be on-site for a day to perform cutting collection to ensure the highest quality of cuttings are collected. Cuttings will be allowed to callus approximately three to four weeks before planting.
After the cuttings have callused, HELIX will install cuttings, container stock, and seed by hand in the restoration area. The enhancement area will also be hand-seeded in accordance with the HMMP. HELIX will procure seed from a reputable supplier and provide seed information for approval by the project biologist prior to installation. Seed tags will be provided following the installation of seed.
Maintenance and Watering
HELIX will perform the five-year maintenance on-site. The schedule for maintenance is expected to be every month in Years One and Two, six events annually in Years Three and Four, and four events in Year Five. HELIX will coordinate with the project biologist and City on the timing of the maintenance events. Maintenance activities that are scheduled during the nesting bird breeding season will be preceded by a nesting bird survey by a qualified HELIX biologist. Maintenance activities will include the removal of exotic and invasive species, replanting up to 50% of the original container stock, reseeding up to 50% of the original seed palette, minor trash and debris removal, fence maintenance and removal, and hand watering. During each maintenance event, if requested, HELIX will bring the watering equipment to irrigation container plantings and cuttings with up to 100 gallons per watering event. In addition to watering during each of the scheduled maintenance events, HELIX has budgeted an additional 18 watering events in Year One, six watering events in Year Two, and six watering events in Year Three during the dry and hot summer months to aid in plant survivorship. Any watering events beyond these additional events will be at the request of the City and/or Project Biologist and billed under Alternative Task #3, as stated below.
HELIX understands the performance standards for the restoration site including percent survivorship of planted species, percent cover of native species, percent non-native cover, and percent bare ground which must be achieved. HELIX also understands the separate performance standards for the enhancement areas, which include percent cover by native species, percent non-native cover, and percent bare ground. HELIX also understands the additional zero percent coverage for woody CAL-IPC Invasive plant species. HELIX will work closely with the City and Project Biologist during the maintenance period to time maintenance and watering events towards achieving those goals.
Alternatives
Alternative #1. Additional Optional Maintenance Year
Per the RFP, HELIX is providing an optional year cost for two individual years following the five-year maintenance period.
Each optional year includes up to four maintenance events. It does not include irrigation events. Maintenance events will follow the same activities and process as those during the five-year maintenance period.
Alternative #2. Interim Cacti Cuttings, Planting and Container Propagation at HELIX Nursery HELIX asked a question in the Question and Answer phase of the RFP about the proposed schedule of site preparation and initial plant, seed, and cutting installation. The answer provided clarified that the schedule expects site preparation DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 16 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services during January 2024, interim weed abatement between January 2024 and fall 2024, and installation of initial plant material in fall/winter 2024. A low-cost, potentially advantageous alternative proposed by HELIX is to install an initial round of cacti cuttings immediately upon completion of the first weed abatement tasks.
Under this alternative, the schedule would be:
• Site preparation in early January 2024
• Cutting collection in early January 2024
• Initial weed abatement in early 2024
• Initial cutting installation in early February 2024.
There are multiple reasons why this is a potentially advantageous low-cost alternative. HELIX’s nursery manager can collect hundreds of cuttings in a single day, given local material to source from. With hundreds of cuttings collected during the initial site preparation task, we will allow them to callus over 3 to 4 weeks and then plant them after the first weed abatement activity. A quarter (25%) of the cuttings collected will be taken to the HELIX nursery and installed in containers.
The benefits are as follows: 1) an additional year of cacti growth towards reaching success criteria, 2) the ability to evaluate the need for watering visits without concern for mortality since these are all “bonus” plantings, 3) a stock of container plants for the following year that are well rooted and supplement cuttings, 4) at the end of the year understanding particular issues with keeping cuttings alive (soil conditions, trespassing/OHV use issues, irrigation, pests), 5) because these are all “bonus” plants, you can experiment with very low-cost maintenance during this period and learn ways to save money during the five year maintenance period of plant care.
The cost for Alternative #2 is shown in the fee schedule and includes one day of cutting collection, transport of 25% of collected cuttings to HELIX nursery for propagation into containers, one year of maintenance and care at the HELIX nursery, installation of 75% of collected cuttings following three to four weeks of callusing on-site in quarter one of 2024, transport and installation of the 25% of material as container stock in quarter four of 2024.
Alternative #3. Additional Watering Events
HELIX has provided a fixed number of watering events as part of the maintenance scheduled days in Years One through Three based on expected natural rainfall patterns. In case of plant mortality, additional watering events may be needed.
Alternative #3 is a per-watering event cost for additional watering events. HELIX operates out of a yard less than 10 miles from the project site, meaning we can quickly mobilize for watering efforts and spend a minimal amount of time traveling to and from the site with the watering equipment, which means a cost savings for the City. Each watering event under Alternative #3 includes a two-person crew, truck, and water containers with up to 100 gallons and four hours to perform a watering event. Each watering event will be coordinated with the City and/or Project Biologist so that the amount of water (up to 100 gallons) per plant is clearly defined prior to each event.
Alternative #4. Optional Round of Weed Abatement
Per the Q&A, HELIX is providing an optional round of weed abatement as a cost under Alternative #4. This task includes a single day of weed abatement for a crew of four. Weed abatement work includes all three sites and follows the same scope as listed above for the scheduled weed abatement tasks. This task budget does not include a nesting bird survey.
Alternative #5. Additional Nesting Bird Surveys
This task is for any additional nesting bird surveys and includes a single survey and report per the above scope.
Currently, HELIX has assumed a total of one survey prior to initial clearing and grubbing work, two surveys prior to weed abatement, six surveys during Year One of the five-year maintenance period, six surveys during Year Two, three surveys in Year Three, three surveys in Year Four, and two surveys in Year Five.
DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC 17 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services
4. FEE PROPOSAL
As requested in the RFP, HELIX’s cost proposal/fee schedule will be submitted separately.
DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC Task Number Task Name Task Total
1 Site Fencing and Signage $ 8,125.00
2 Pre-Construction Nesting Bird Surveys $ 1,265.00
3 Clearing and Grubbing $ 8,000.00
4 Weed Abatement prior to Planting and Seeding $ 7,600.00 5 Nesting Bird Surveys during Weed Abatement $ 2,365.00 6 Plant and Seed Installation $ 7,885.00
7 Maintenance and Watering - Year 1 $ 50,150.00
8 Maintenance and Watering - Year 2 $ 37,500.00
9 Maintenance and Watering - Year 3 $ 21,500.00
10 Maintenance - Year 4 $ 11,150.00
11 Maintenance - Year 5 $ 10,950.00
12 Nesting Bird Surveys during Maintenance $ 21,360.00
13 Interim Cacti Cuttings, Planting and Container Propagation at HELIX Nursery $ 6,050.00 $ 193,900.00
HELIX Fee Proposal - City of Diamond Bar Canyon Loop Trail Improvements HMMP Implementation - Revision #1 dated October 31, 2023
Total
DocuSign Envelope ID: CDB93119-984C-49C9-914A-15FEFCBEEBBC