DATE: November 17, 2025
TO: President and Members of the Estero Municipal Improvement District (EMID) Board of Directors
VIA: Stefan Chatwin, District Manager
Marlene Subhashini, Assistant District Manager
FROM: Andrew Brozyna, Public Works Director
Laura Galli, Engineering Manager
Francine Magno, Senior Civil Engineer
DEPARTMENT: Public Works
SUBJECT: ISSUANCE OF TASK ORDER NO. HYD-2025-01 TO THE
MASTER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH
HYDROSCIENCE ENGINEERS, INC. IN THE AMOUNT NOT-TO-
EXCEED $995,663 FOR WASTEWATER ENGINEERING
SERVICES FOR THE SANITARY SEWER LIFT STATION
IMPROVEMENTS – PHASE 6 PROJECT (CIP 455-719)
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Board of Directors of the Estero Municipal Improvement District (EMID) adopt the attached resolution authorizing:
1. The President to execute Task Order No. HYD-2025-01 to the Master Professional Services Agreement with HydroScience Engineers, Inc. (HydroScience) in the amount not-to-exceed $995,663 for wastewater engineering services for the Sanitary Sewer Lift Station Improvements – Phase 6 Project (CIP 455-719); and
2. The establishment of a project contingency in the amount of $149,000 (15%) with authorization given to the District Manager to execute task order amendments up to the contingency amount; and
3. Finding this action exempt from CEQA under Section 15301(b) & 15301(d) Existing Facilities.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
CIP 455-719 is part of a multi-phase program started in 2000 to rehabilitate EMID’s sanitary sewer lift stations. The Phase 6 project will address deficiencies at lift stations 6, 9, 11, 13, 22, 29, 42, and 43 which were identified in the District’s Wastewater Collection System Master Plan (WWMP).
Staff issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to all current on-call water and wastewater engineering firms for design services for CIP 455-719. The District received three (3) proposals. Staff reviewed the proposals and found HydroScience to be the most qualified for the work. The proposed fee in the amount of $995,663 has been negotiated and determined to be reasonable based on the scope of services.
The scope of services is comprehensive including project management, preliminary engineering, preparation of construction documents, bidding support, construction support, operation support, record drawings, and warranty inspection.
Funding in the amount of $8,900,000 is available in the approved budget for CIP 455- 719. With the execution of the task order, staff will authorize work to begin the preliminary design task for the project.
BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS
Due to the flat topography in Foster City, lift stations are required to collect and transport wastewater to the jointly owned San Mateo-Foster City wastewater treatment plant.
There are 49 public lift stations located throughout Foster City. Wastewater is collected and pumped from one lift station to the next until ultimately converging all sewage flows at Pump Station 59, which is the final and largest capacity station with the District’s collection system. From Pump Station 59, wastewater is then conveyed to the treatment plant in San Mateo. As wastewater travels within the collection system, highly corrosive hydrogen sulfide gas is released which attacks components and concrete surfaces it comes in contact with. In addition, many of the lift stations included in this project were constructed in the 1960’s and various components have exceeded their useful life.
In May 2020, the EMID Board of Directors accepted the WWMP. The WWMP established a prioritized 20-year capital improvement plan to address the District’s most critical lift station and collection system “hot spot” infrastructure rehabilitation needs over the next 20 years. The plan utilized rankings that consider system redundancy, risk of failure, criticality, enhancement of public and worker safety, and maintenance frequency to prioritize and fund projects in 5, 10, 15, and 20-year timeframes.
Lift stations 6, 9, 11, 13, 22, 29, 42, and 43 are the next projects identified in the WWMP prioritization up for rehabilitation to improve the reliability of the collection system and minimize the potential for emergency repairs. Typically, full rehabilitation for lift stations includes restoring damaged interior wet well walls and re-applying new coating; replacing defective pumps, valves, piping and fittings; replacing lids and hatches to improve ingress and egress into the lift stations; and installing bypass connections and other miscellaneous structural, electrical, and mechanical repairs to extend the useful life, improve safety of the staff, and improve reliability of the wastewater collection system.
On July 18, 2022 and January 21, 2025, the City of Foster City/EMID entered into several master professional services agreements for water and wastewater engineering services with various consulting firms to enhance the level of expertise available to staff to deliver the Capital Improvement Program. Specific services needed for projects would be contracted through a task order under the master agreement for a not-to-exceed amount.
On August 27, 2025, staff released an RFP to all current on-call water and wastewater engineering firms. On September 25, 2025, three (3) proposals were received.
The proposals were reviewed by staff members of the Public Works engineering and maintenance division. HydroScience was selected as the most qualified firm to provide design services for the project. HydroScience is familiar with the District standards and design criteria for this project, having performed similar services for the previous Phase 5 Project. HydroScience also developed the WWMP and is familiar with the evaluations and recommendations associated with this current phase.
The scope of services for this task order includes seven tasks for a not-to-exceed amount of $995,663. A breakdown of the expected hours and rates can be found in the task order (Attachment 2). The scope of services includes the following seven tasks:
1. Project Management - This task ensures the project stays on track with respect to scope, schedule, and budget. It involves team coordination, quality control, progress reporting, and regular communication with the District and stakeholders.
2. Preliminary Design - The preliminary phase evaluates the existing lift stations and develops the preliminary design documents (30% level). It identifies necessary improvements at each of the eight (8) lift stations, provides early construction cost estimates, and provides an opportunity for the consultant to advise of any long lead items.
3. Construction Documents - Detailed construction plans, specifications, and cost estimates (60%, 90%, and Bid Ready submittals) are produced in this task. It includes coordination across disciplines (civil, structural, mechanical, electrical) and results in a complete bid-ready design package.
4. Bid Period Services - Support is provided during the bidding phase, including answering contractor questions, assistance in writing addendums, and analyzing the bid opening.
5. Construction Support Services - During construction, this task includes submittal reviews, site visits, request for information (RFI) responses, change order assistance, and final inspection. It ensures the contractor’s work aligns with the design and specifications. Based on the final design documents, this task may be amended in the future to align with the final bid scope of work.
6. Operation Support Activities – Following construction, the team will provide assistance to District operation & maintenance staff in connection with coordinating and scheduling of the startup, refining, and adjusting of any equipment or system.
7. As-Built Drawings and Project Closeout - Following construction, the team compiles record drawings based on contractor markups and prepares a closeout summary for District use. This ensures accurate project documentation and smooth transition to operations. Additionally, a warranty inspection is included with this task to ensure the installed project is functioning as intended before the 1-year guaranty window on the construction contract closes.
Staff anticipates the design work will be finished in Winter of 2026, followed by construction starting in Spring 2027. Construction is anticipated to take approximately eleven months.
CEQA
Categorically Exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(b)/15301(d) – Existing Facilities
FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed fee in the not-to-exceed amount of $995,663 has been negotiated and determined reasonable based on the scope of services. A project contingency in the amount of $149,000 or approximately 15% of the contract amount is recommended to pay for additional services resulting from unforeseen circumstances that may be encountered during design. Funding in the amount of $8,900,000 is available in the approved budget for CIP 455-719.
CITY COUNCIL VISION, MISSION, AND VALUE/PRIORITY AREA
Facilities and Infrastructure
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – Task Order No. HYD-2025-01