Dear City of Rialto,
Veolia is writing to formally request the addition of one new Capital Projects Coordinator to our team. We cite significant ongoing needs to provide program management, project management, construction management, inspection services, estimating, and project scoping services.
Reasons for Justification:
We have identified a critical need for dedicated project coordination resources to support the City with providing extensive levels of pre-approval work required for capital projects in the early stages before a determination can be made about the feasibility of the project. Currently, this essential work is being handled by the CPM staff, who have not been compensated for the pre- approval work for a majority of the FIP and CIP projects to date.
The Capital Projects Coordinator would be responsible for:
● Project planning and pre-feasibility studies
● Regulatory compliance and support permit applications ● Stakeholder coordination and communication, including Veolia’s subject matter experts ● Reviews developer and contractor design documents for water/wastewater system compatibility
● Budget, schedule and finance use rate development and cost analysis ● Environmental assessments and documentation
● Engineering design review and approval processes
● Grant application support and management
It's important to note that this pre-approval work falls outside the scope of services and fees provided by the CPM team. The project markup fee covers the corresponding effort after projects have been approved and funded, focusing on the execution phase of capital improvements, but not for the pre-work. The extensive preliminary work required before project approval, including needs assessment, regulatory coordination, feasibility studies, and initial planning, is currently being managed by the onsite CPM team. This pre-approval phase is critical to project success, but represents a significant workload that our current O&M staff cannot adequately handle alongside their daily operational duties. Further, the O&M staff do not have the experience and technical expertise to take on the Capital Projects Coordinator responsibilities.
Historically, Veolia has absorbed significant costs for this pre-approval work. This is true for projects that do get completed, but even more impactful when projects do not move forward to construction. It is standard practice for cities to engage consulting firms that charge hourly rates for this type of project development work or retain a dedicated team member to support these activities, recognizing that specialized expertise and dedicated time are required for successful project planning. This position would ensure that capital projects move efficiently through the pre- approval phase, reducing delays and cost overruns while maintaining compliance with all regulatory requirements. The coordinator would serve as a single point of contact for all project stakeholders, improving communication and project outcomes.
By establishing this role, we can better serve Rialto Water Services' infrastructure needs while ensuring projects are properly planned, budgeted, and executed. This investment in project coordination will ultimately result in more successful capital improvements and better service to the community.
Conclusion:
Adding one Capital Projects Coordinator to our team is essential to maintain our current service level while supporting the City's growing infrastructure needs. This position will give us the opportunity to provide comprehensive project coordination services, maximize grant funding opportunities, and ensure proper integration of development projects with existing utility systems, while preventing potential burnout among our existing staff.
If approval for this dedicated position is not feasible, we respectfully request that Rialto Water Services allocate a budget to cover this essential pre-approval work on a time and materials (T&M) basis. All efforts would be properly tracked and billed accordingly to ensure transparency and fair compensation for services rendered.
Please let me know if you have any questions or require further details.
Sincerely,
Soheil Sadighi
General Manager
Veolia