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CITY OF
NAPA
UTILITIES DEPARTMENT
To: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: STEVE POTTER, CITY MANAGER
CC: PHIL BRUN, UTILITIES DIRECTOR
DATE: APRIL 20, 2022
SUBJECT: WRITTEN DETERMINATION TO ENTER INTO A SPECIALTY ITEM AGREEMENT
WITH GEI CONSULTANTS, INC, FOR CONN CREEK SPILLWAY ALTERNATIVES
ASSESSMENT
Per NMC 2.91.050, the City may enter into a contract for a "specialty item," provided that the City Manager makes a written determination of the following:
1. The project need which the City intends to satisfy through the contract for the specialty item.
The City requires professional services to review and update the alternatives analysis for spillway upgrades to meet the Department of Safety of Dams (DSOD) comments regarding the condition assessment and hydraulic analysis performed as part of the Spillway Re-evaluation Program. The alternatives need to take into consideration the historical engineering studies, rehabilitation, and current condition as evaluated in the Phase I and Il assessments. This project requires specialized expertise in several engineering disciplines while utilizing new information acquired during the Phase Il assessments to determine the most cost-effective long-term design options for continued operation. To respond to DSOD in a timely manner, and provide sufficient information requires the expertise of the engineers that have the historic background of assessments that have been ongoing since 2018.
Because this project is an important precursor to an upcoming Master Plan update project, which the City plans to begin within the coming months, it is important the City works with a vendor who can continue the analysis in a timely and efficient manner. It is also prudent the City
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performs its due diligence to respond in a timely manner and demonstrate progress in meeting DSOD requests efficiently.
2.) The types of property or service which are available (or used by other similarly situated private or public agencies) to meet this need (or similar needs), and the contractors which are available to provide the property or service.
City Staff is aware of certain qualified consultants that can provide these services, but all except the recommended Consultant team have an extensive need to become familiar with the historical background, DSOD correspondence, continued maintenance, and engineering evaluations that date back to the construction of the structure in 1948. The condition assessments require extensive testing and review that is time intensive and costly.
The delay and engineering efforts associated with the learning curve and necessary time and review would be costly, and there would be uncertainty in the results provided due to the lack of familiarity with ongoing assessments and implications for future modifications. Uncertainty could have significant consequences since this work would be called on to assess and design modifications based on current engineering analysis that is tied to historical knowledge of the structures.
GEl provides the City with specialized testing and engineering evaluation for the requirements of the DSOD Spillway Re-evaluation program and advises on required short-term repairs and long-term recommendations to meet modern spillway standards.
GEl has the historical knowledge and direct experience with the assessments and repairs performed in 2019 and current permit for subsurface exploration and repairs to be completed before the rain season. The alternatives assessment must consider both the historical and ongoing evaluations to present the preferred option for designing a new spillway to meet DSOD's design standards.
3.) The reasons why it is impracticable for a similar service to meet the City's needs (including considerations of compatibility with other City services regarding maintenance, repair, training, quality, price, or similar considerations); or why the City's needs can only be met by one unique or proprietary type of service (the specialty item).
While certain qualified contractors can provide these services, GEl has by far the highest familiarity with the Conn Dam Spillway and current condition including the hydraulic analyses of the spillway such that they can provide the most efficient services for this project. GEl provides hydraulic modeling support with the same software suite, HEC-RAS, that the City of Napa used to model dam inundation and mapping for DSOD. Because this project is an important precursor to an upcoming Master Plan update project, which the City plans to begin within the coming months, it is important the City works with a vendor who can complete the alternative analysis in a timely and efficient manner.
The design alternatives need to consider the current condition and outcomes of the exploration of the spillway subsurface structure, and without full understanding of the current conditions the alternatives for upgrades may neglect key deficiencies. The condition assessment and design of dam's factors in geotechnical, structural, hydrologic, and hydraulic engineering expertise thus requiring firms with expansive teams that specialize on specific structures. Seismic and hydraulic analysis have been reviewed as well, which were key factors in DOD's independent analysis and determination of the long-term requirements for the spillway.
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The condition assessment reviews all required analysis DSOD has requested since the construction, in addition to updates periodically based on the annual maintenance inspections. Pairing this engineering review with specialized structural testing and inspection provides the engineers in their respective fields with an intimate and specific localized knowledge that is key in understanding the site-specific alternatives that allow the structure to be upgraded and modified in a safe manner to maintain its long-term use.
GEl has multiple offices in the vicinity, including proximity to Napa and DSOD offices, allowing for the efficient coordination of on-site evaluation that has been part of the condition assessments and will be continued in the review of alternatives. With their experience of state agency review and coordination their responses to DSOD should reduce the review and allow for justified analysis ensuring the preferred alternatives are acceptable and can move forward in the design process without further delays.
4.) By entering into a contract for the specialty item from the proposed contractor, the City will meet the purpose and goals identified in NMC Section 2.91.010.
The rates and charges for services from GEl Consultants, Inc are comparable to other engineering firms. For the reasons stated above, entering into an agreement with GEI Consultants, Inc, for he Conn Creek Spillway Alternatives Assessment will ensure the most cost-effective result for the City and meet the purpose and goals of NMC Section 2.91.010.
5) The contract complies with the requirements of NMC Section 2.91.030 (B).
Pursuant to NMC Section 2.91.030(B)(2), (a) has been approved as to form by the City Attorney, (b) as determined by the City Auditor, there are sufficient unencumbered funds to cover the cost of the contract, and (c) upon approval by the City Council of the recommended action for the meeting of May 3, 2022, the City Council will have delegated authority to the City Manager's designee, the Utilities Director, to approve the proposed agreement.