STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date:
September 22, 2026
CONSENT
CALENDAR
11 SUBJECT: AWARD OF TASK ORDER FOR NPDES COMPLIANCE SERVICES RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Authorize the City Manager to approve a task order to Olaunu, LLC for NPDES Compliance Services in the amount of $196,133; and
2. Find that the services provided do not constitute a “project” under the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5) or, in the alternative, the services are exempt under CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15308
SUMMARY OF THE MATTER
The City is required to maintain compliance with federal and state water quality regulations governing municipal stormwater discharges under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program. These requirements include ongoing program administration, facility inspections, regulatory reporting, illicit discharge investigation and response, staff training, and coordination with regional regulatory agencies.
To provide specialized professional support for these activities, the City solicited proposals from all six firms on its prequalified NPDES Compliance On Call list and received six proposals. Following its evaluation, staff recommends Olaunu, LLC based on the firm's qualifications, municipal experience, technical approach, and familiarity with Laguna Beach's NPDES program and regulatory requirements.
The proposed one year task order totals $196,133 and includes $180,963 for ongoing NPDES compliance services and $15,170 to update the City's Jurisdictional Runoff Management Program and Local Implementation Plan in anticipation of evolving regional stormwater regulations. Funding is available within the approved Fiscal Year 2026/2027 Public Works operating budget, and no additional appropriation is required.
DISCUSSION
The City of Laguna Beach is required to comply with federal and state water quality regulations governing municipal stormwater discharges under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program. Continued compliance necessitates extensive and continuous program administration, facility inspections, annual reporting, illicit discharge investigation and response, staff training, and regional regulatory coordination.
To secure qualified professional support for these specialized obligations, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to all six (6) firms pre-qualified on the City’s NPDES Compliance On-Call list: Dudek, Environmental Compliance Inspection Services (ECIS), Michael Baker International, Olaunu LLC, Willdan Engineering, and WSP USA Environment & Infrastructure Inc. The City received proposals from all six firms in response to the RFP.
AWARD OF TASK ORDER FOR NPDES COMPLIANCE SERVICES
September 22, 2026
Following a comprehensive review of the submitted proposals, staff recommends the selection of Olaunu LLC based on their qualifications, relevant municipal experience, technical approach, and institutional knowledge of Laguna Beach's operational landscape. Olaunu’s proposed Project Manager, Mary Vondrak, previously served as the City's Senior Water Quality Analyst. Ms. Vondrak possesses direct familiarity with the City's historical and current NPDES infrastructure, local regulatory challenges, and compliance requirements. This specialized expertise, combined with Olaunu's broader regional experience across Orange County, ensures the City will maintain seamless regulatory continuity.
The proposed services will provide continued support for essential municipal obligations. The contract structure targets immediate municipal needs while strategically preparing for evolving state regulations:
• Base Compliance Services ($180,963): Covers an estimated 809 labor hours dedicated to mandatory annual operations, including program management, commercial/industrial inspections, regulatory reporting, illicit discharge response, and staff training. • Optional JRMP/LIP Updates ($15,170): This task is recommended in anticipation of the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board (Region 9) updating and formally adopting a comprehensive regional replacement for the current Phase I MS4 permit. Securing this task ensures the City can rapidly align its local policy frameworks with incoming regional mandates. • Deferred Services: Staff does not anticipate a current municipal need for the optional task regarding Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP) administration, review, and inspection services.
Consequently, this task is excluded from the current recommendation.
Therefore, staff recommends that a task order for the base services and the optional service for updating the JRMP/LIP be authorized at this time for a total not-to-exceed amount of $196,133. Additional optional services from the proposal may be authorized separately in the future, subject to changing regulatory requirements, specific City needs, and available funding.
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
The proposed cost for the base NPDES Program Compliance Services and the optional service to update the City's JRMP/LIP is $196,133 for a one-year term. Funding for these professional services is available within the City's approved Public Works operating budget for NPDES/stormwater program compliance.
Specifically, Account No. 1103136-55036 maintains an allocated budget of $272,000 for the current fiscal year. Therefore, there are no additional allocations required at this time.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The recommended action consists of organizational or administrative activities of the City that will not result in a direct or indirect physical change in the environment and therefore does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Public Resources Code Section 21065; 14 CCR Section 15378(b)(5)).
In the alternative, hiring a consultant for program administration, facility inspections, annual reporting, illicit discharge investigation and response, staff training, and regional regulatory coordination is an action taken to assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, or protection of the environment and is thus exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15308.
AWARD OF TASK ORDER FOR NPDES COMPLIANCE SERVICES
September 22, 2026
ATTACHMENTS
1. Olaunu, LLC Proposal
2. Olaunu, LLC - Agreement
Submitted By: Thomas Perez Approved: .David A Kiff
Thomas Perez, Acting Director of
Public Works & Utilities
Dave Kiff, City Manager
Report Prepared By: Coordinated With:
Tran Tran, Assistant City Engineer Thomas Perez, Acting Director of Public Works & Utilities