811 El Capitan Way Suite 130, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Ph. (805) 778-0326 / F. (805) 787-0437
October 20, 2025
Mr. Patrick Dobbins, P.E.
City of Gonzales
[email protected]
Subject: Proposal for Wastewater Program Management Support Dear Mr. Dobbins:
Thank you for the opportunity to submit this proposal for an extension on our as-needed Program Management Support Services for the City of Gonzales (City) Wastewater Program. MNS offers our qualified staff to support this effort. Included within this letter proposal is a brief understanding, scope of work, and our fee schedule for Program Management Support services through June 2026.
Statement of Qualifications
Established in 1962, MNS Engineers, Inc. (MNS) provides quality infrastructure consulting services to the water resource service market throughout the Central Coast. Specializing in the core service of construction management, MNS offers qualified professionals with experience providing program management, procurement services, permit coordination, and grant support. MNS has provided similar support to numerous agencies and projects.
Project Understanding
Known as the “Wine Capital of Monterey County”, the City of Gonzales (City) is located 17 miles south of Salinas in the heart of the 90-mile-long Salinas Valley. Gonzales hosts a population of 8,650 residents, as well as pridefully supports numerous agriculture related businesses such as Taylor Farms, Del Monte Fresh, and Braga Fresh processing facilities.
The City is ripe for expansion with an agricultural industry requesting to expand production, a growing population in need of homes, and Developers poised to break ground on new housing tracks, the limiting factor to growth is the City’s ability to deal with current and future wastewater flows, bringing the wastewater program to the forefront of the City’s priorities.
The City’s existing municipal wastewater treatment plant (MWWTP) consists of a two-train system: headworks, influent pump station, aerated lagoons, polishing ponds, and rapid infiltration basins. The MWWTP is rated for an average daily flow of 1.0 million gallons per day (MGD) and maximum/permitted capacity of 1.3 MGD. With current wastewater flows totaling 1.2 MGD, the MWWTP is at capacity. Additionally, the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) issued new permit requirements in 2023, which the existing MWWTP is unable to meet.
To address the wastewater issues, the City is undertaking a multi-phased wastewater program, for which MNS has been serving as Wastewater Program Manager since March 2024. Since assuming the role of Program Manager, MNS and the City have made great strides on the wastewater program, completing construction on Phase 1A Industrial Wastewater Conveyance System, beginning construction on Phase 1B Industrial Wastewater Treatment Facility, beginning the planning study for Phase 2 Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades, as well as assisting the City through on-going issues with the Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The following Table provides a summary of the City’s wastewater program phasing, the status, and next steps.
Wastewater Program Management Support Services
mnsengineers.com
TRANSPORTATION / WATER RESOURCES / GOVERNMENT SERVICES / FEDERAL Phase Status Next Steps
Phase 1. Industrial Wastewater (IW) System. Construct an IW system to divert and treat IW flows, thereby freeing up capacity at the MWWTP. The IW System will be constructed under multiple contracts:
Phase 1A. IW Conveyance System.
Construct roughly 8,500 linear feet (LF)
of 27-inch PVC, 2,200 LF of 24-inch
PVC, 12-inch PVC IW sewer
connections, and 18 manholes.
• Completed. On-time and
under-budget
• N/A
Phase 1B. Industrial Wastewater
Treatment Facility (IWTF). Construct a
1.0 MGD IWTF on City owned parcels
adjacent to the MWWTP. The IWTF
process will include an influent pump
station, mechanical screw screens, grit
removal, aerated treatment ponds,
and infiltration basins.
• Construction On-Going. • Completion March 2027
Phase 1C. Inspect/Rehabilitate
Existing WW Trunk Main. Once the
IWTF is commissioned, IW and WW
flows will be diverted to the new IW
Pipeline to perform video inspection
and maintenance work on the existing
21-inch WW Trunk Main constructed
in 1981.
• Plans and specifications inprogress.• Solicit bids and award a construction contract.
• Work shall be completed by
March 2027, to coincide with
startup of the IWTF.
Phase 2. MWWTP Rehabilitation.
Remove one treatment train from
service for rehabilitation. Capacity will
be upgraded to 2.3 MGD
• Grant funded Planning Study
in progress.
• Apply for final
design/construction grant
funding.
Phase 3. Expand MWWTP. Add
additional treatment processes at
MWWTP to expand system capacity to
2.9 MGD.
• Pre-Design Phase • Issue an RFP for design. (Phase
2 preliminary design to
include future expansion).
• Pursue grant funding options.
Phase 3. Expand IWTF. Add additional
treatment processes at IWTF to
expand system capacity to 3.5 MGD.
• Pre-Design Phase • Issue an RFP for design (Phase
1 design includes some
accommodations for future
expansion).
Wastewater Program Management Support Services
mnsengineers.com
TRANSPORTATION / WATER RESOURCES / GOVERNMENT SERVICES / FEDERAL Scope of Services
MNS’, Megan Panofsky, PE, CCM, will continue to oversee Program Management services for the various phases of the wastewater program. Services to be provided may include but are not limited to the following:
Technical Support and Coordination
MNS’ team will continue to provide support to City Staff in dealing with on-going operational issues at the MWWTP. MNS’ team will coordinate efforts upon City request, including but not limited to soliciting proposals and quotes for earthwork, pipe work, bioaugmentation, and other mechanical appurtenances.
Biddability/Constructability Reviews of Bid Documents
MNS’ team includes design and construction management professionals capable of providing technical and construction review. MNS will review the design documents for completion, clarity, consistency, biddability, constructability and coordination among the trades. MNS will provide the results of the review in writing and as notations on the documents.
The MNS Program Manager will make recommendations to the City with respect to constructability, sequence of construction, and construction duration.
Internal Coordination Meetings
The MNS Program Manager will run internal coordination meetings between the MNS team, City staff, and Design Engineer throughout the various wastewater program project phases. MNS will maintain an Action Log during meetings, noting decisions and action items moving forward.
Utility Provider Coordination
MNS will provide coordination with utilities impacted by the various wastewater program phases. For Phase 1 of the program, the City has obtained the PG&E design for the IWTF electrical service, dated January 27, 2022. MNS will also work closely with the selected contractor to confirm the transformer is ordered as soon as possible to avoid potential project delays. For future program phases and other partner utilities, MNS will notify affected utilities of upcoming projects and provide periodic updates. MNS will also share preliminary plans, as appropriate, to minimize potential conflicts and maintain the program schedule.
Monitor Design Process/Quality Control and Assurance
The MNS Program Manager will monitor the design process for the various program phases to keep the designs moving forward while maintaining quality assurance and review. Information requests, deliverable dates, review periods, and comments/responses will be closely monitored. Project approach, technical contact and accuracy, project layout and appearance, conciseness, completeness, value engineering, and constructability will be carefully considered. The MNS Project Manager will be in close contact with appropriate City staff during the review process and will facilitate incorporation of City comments throughout the entire design process. MNS’ proposed team also brings specialized engineers capable of conducting technical reviews as well as construction managers, permit specialists, etc, to assist the City through the review process.
Community Engagement
The MNS Program Manager will ensure contract provisions regarding public coordination are met, and coordinate with media as necessary. We will ensure implementation and correctness of any and all proper notices to the public for upcoming work in the area of the various projects. The MNS Program Manager will also be available to provide periodic presentations at City Council meetings to provide updates on the wastewater program.
Funding Management and Administration
MNS has extensive experience in administering and managing state, federal, and local funding for capital improvement projects. We can assist in tracking, documenting, and reporting the expenditure of these funds and creating the appropriate Wastewater Program Management Support Services
mnsengineers.com
TRANSPORTATION / WATER RESOURCES / GOVERNMENT SERVICES / FEDERAL audit trail. Specifically, MNS’ team has extensive experience with SRF funded projects and will track loan requirements and benchmarks to ensure compliance with SRF requirements.
Permit Management
The MNS team provides a full range of planning and environmental compliance services to municipalities, transportation agencies, water/wastewater districts, and federal clients throughout California. Our environmental compliance staff offer comprehensive environmental services starting from preliminary site surveys and CEQA/NEPA documentation, to mitigation compliance and construction monitoring. MNS has in-house CEQA/NEPA planners who conduct environmental analysis and modeling for a range of infrastructure projects. Post project approval, MNS has a team of QSP/QSDs, biologists, regulatory specialists, and construction monitors who can support a wide range of project types and natural resource issues.
MNS has also been asked to assist in coordinating with the Waterboard on the Municipal WWTP permit requirements. MNS will provide support and coordination as requested.
Monthly Report & Invoices
The MNS team will provide a progress report including a narrative summary of the specific accomplishments achieved during the billing cycle, problems encountered or anticipated, plans for resolving problems, and anticipated milestones to be achieved during the following billing cycle.
MNS will provide detailed monthly invoices, which include the following: current period and cumulative expenditures to date, estimated cost of completion, estimated date of completion, approved contract amount by task, and comparison of task budget with an estimate of the cost to complete the task.
Bid Support
The MNS Program Manager will assist in soliciting bids for the advertised design project. This will include attending City meetings as necessary and coordinating with other City staff to publish requests for bids in local newspapers and contact plan rooms and specific contractors to inform them of the upcoming project. MNS will facilitate the submission of plans and specifications in electronic format as necessary. MNS can take the lead on pre-bid meetings and assist in fielding inquiries and coordinating responses from the consultants. During bidding, MNS will prepare responses to bidder questions that are submitted to our Program Manager through the City. Responses will be made to the City for distribution to the bidder’s list.
Questions that can be resolved through references within the contract documents will be addressed via e-mail. Those questions that require a more detailed response will result in the preparation of a draft bid addenda. MNS will assist, as requested, with addenda to the bid documents. The Project Manager will be available to attend the bid opening and assist in summarizing the results and determining the apparent low bidder. MNS will assist in the selection of the contractor, including calling listed references and ensuring all contract proposal conditions have been met in accordance with the State Contracting Code. This information will then be submitted to the City and a draft agenda report will be prepared for Council approval of the contract.
Grant Support
The MNS team will pursue various grant opportunities to fund the design and construction of the MWWTP Upgrades once the MWWTP Planning Study is complete.
Compensation
A fee schedule has been developed for services through June 2026. This breakdown considers the level of effort for major project milestones expected to be achieved within that time period. MNS proposes a not-to-exceed budget of $194,110.00 Wastewater Program Management Support Services
mnsengineers.com
TRANSPORTATION / WATER RESOURCES / GOVERNMENT SERVICES / FEDERAL to be billed on a time and materials basis in accordance with the MNS Standard Fee Schedule, provided as an attachment to this proposal. Additional staff are available to support the City on an as-needed basis.
Closing
Thank you for the opportunity to submit this proposal. We look forward to continuing to work with the City on this important program. Please feel free to contact Megan with any questions you may have at 805.331.4860 or [email protected]. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
MNS Engineers, Inc.
Megan Panofsky, PE, CCM
Program Manager
Attachments: Program Fee Schedule, Standard 2025 Fee Schedule Role Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Principal In-Charge 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 18 355.00 373.00 6,606.00 $ Program Manager 16 16 16 16 12 12 12 12 12 124 290.00 305.00 37,100.00 $ Grant Writer/SRF Loan Coordinator 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 108 190.00 200.00 21,240.00 $ 30 30 30 30 26 26 26 26 26 250 64,946.00 $
Program Manager 20 20 20 16 16 16 12 12 12 144 290.00 305.00 43,020.00 $ 20 20 20 16 16 16 12 12 12 144 43,020.00 $
Program Manager 0 8 12 12 8 4 4 0 0 48 290.00 305.00 14,340.00 $ Sr. Project Engineer 0 0 16 16 8 0 0 0 0 40 245.00 258.00 10,112.00 $ 0 8 28 28 16 4 4 0 0 88 24, $ 452.00
Program Manager 2 2 2 4 16 16 16 8 0 66 290.00 305.00 20,040.00 $ Grant Writer/SRF Grant Coordinator 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 0 32 190.00 200.00 6,280.00 $ 6 6 6 8 20 20 20 12 0 98 26,320.00 $
56 64 84 82 78 66 62 50 38 580 158,738.00 $
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT TOTALNotes:
1. Hours and costs are an estimate only; actual hours and costs will be based on schedule.2. Overtime not included in this cost estimate. Any OT would be billed per MNS Standard Fee Schedule.3. Annual escalation of hourly rates applied at 5% starting Jan 2026
SUB-TOTAL
Megan Panofsky
SUB-TOTAL
Task 4: Manage MWWTP Upgrade Preliminary Design Report
Megan Panofsky
Taylor Gullikson
Wastewater Program Management Budget Extension
City of Gonzales
TOTAL COST
Staff
TOTAL
HOURS 2026
$ 158,738.00
HOURLY RATE
2025 2026
2025
Task 1: Meetings/Coordination/Administration
SUB-TOTAL
TOTALS
Joe Pope
Megan Panofsky
SUB-TOTAL
Task 3: Prepare/Bid/Award 21" Trunk Sewer Rehabilitation Taylor Gullikson
Gaby Mak
Megan Panofsky
Task 2: Manage MWWTP Emergency Infilitration/Treatment
20 2 5 STANDARD SCHEDULE OF FEES
PROJECT/PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
Principal-In-Charge.............................. $375
Senior Project/Program Manager .....340
Project/Program Manager ...................290
Assistant Project/Program Manager 265
Senior Project Coordinator..................210
Project Coordinator................................175
ENGINEERING
Principal Engineer.................................$325 Lead Engineer........................................... 285 Supervising Engineer............................. 270
Senior Project Engineer ........................ 245
Project Engineer ...................................... 220 Associate Engineer ................................. 200 Assistant Engineer .................................. 185
SURVEYING
Principal Surveyor.................................$295 Lead Surveyor........................................... 285 Supervising Surveyor............................. 245
Senior Project Surveyor ........................ 220
Project Surveyor ...................................... 195 Associate Project Surveyor.................. 185
Assistant Project Surveyor................... 170
Party Chief (PW)....................................... 200 Chainperson (PW)................................... 170 One-Person Survey Crew (PW)........... 240
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
CADD Manager......................................$210
Supervising Technician ......................... 185
Senior Technician.................................... 175 Engineering Technician......................... 140
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
Principal Construction Manager......$355
Senior Construction Manager............ 305
Senior Resident Engineer..................... 295
Resident Engineer................................... 285 Structure Representative...................... 280
Construction Manager.......................... 245
Assistant Resident Engineer................ 225
Sr. Construction Inspector (PW) ....... 210
Construction Inspector (PW) ............. 195
Office Administrator .............................. 155
PLANNING
Planning Director..................................$250 City Planner/Planning Manager......... 230
Principal Planner...................................... 215 Senior Planner.......................................... 200 Associate Planner.................................... 170 Assistant Planner..................................... 140 Planning Technician............................... 120
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
Senior Management Analyst ............$210
Management Analyst ............................ 180
IT Technician............................................. 150 Graphics/Visualization Specialist....... 160
Administrative Assistant....................... 110
GOVERNMENT SERVICES
City Engineer ..........................................$280 Deputy City Engineer............................. 250
Assistant City Engineer ......................... 235
Plan Check Engineer.............................. 195
Permit Engineer....................................... 185 City Inspector ........................................... 175 Senior City Inspector (PW) ................. 210
City Inspector (PW)................................. 195 Principal Stormwater Specialist ......... 240
Senior Stormwater Specialist.............. 210
Stormwater Specialist............................ 180
Stormwater Technician ......................... 160
Building Official ....................................... 275 Senior Building Inspector..................... 210
Building Inspector................................... 185 Senior Grant Writer................................ 200 Grant Writer.............................................. 190 Associate Grant Writer.......................... 170
Assistant Grant Writer........................... 155
DIRECT EXPENSES
Use of outside consultants as well as copies, blueprints, survey stakes, monuments, computer plots, telephone, travel (out of area) and all similar charges directly connected with the work will be charged at cost plus fifteen percent (15%). Mileage will be charged at the current federal mileage reimbursement rate.
PREVAILING WAGE RATES
Rates shown with Prevailing Wage “(PW)” annotation are used for field work on projects subject to federal or state prevailing wage law and are subject to increases per DIR.
ANNUAL ESCALATION
Standard fee rates provided for each classification are subject to 5% annual escalation or the most recent US Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index, whichever is higher.
OVERTIME
Overtime for non-exempt employees will be charged at 1.5 x hourly rate; overtime for exempt employees and other classifications will be charged at 1 x hourly rate.
Rev. 10/22/2025