City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: AUGUST 11, 2026 FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: FIRST AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH BABCOCK LABORATORIES, INC. OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA FOR RIVERSIDE REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL PLANT INORGANIC AND ORGANIC CHEMICAL ANALYSES TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT TERM FOR TWO YEARS THROUGH JUNE 30, 2028, AND INCREASE THE AGREEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $68,993 PER FISCAL YEAR FOR A TOTAL INCREASE OF $137,986 AND A TOTAL REVISED CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $305,456 ISSUES:
Consider approving the First Amendment to Professional Consultant Services Agreement with Babcock Laboratories, Inc. of Riverside, California for Riverside Regional Water Quality Control Plant inorganic and organic chemical analyses to extend the contract term for two years through June 30, 2028, and increase the agreement in the amount of $68,993 per fiscal year for a total two-year increase of $137,986 and a total revised contract amount not to exceed $305,456.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Approve First Amendment to Professional Consultant Services Agreement with Babcock Laboratories, Inc. of Riverside, California for Riverside Regional Water Quality Control Plant inorganic and organic chemical analyses to extend the contract term for two years through June 30, 2028, and increase the agreement in the amount of $68,993 per fiscal year for a total two-year increase of $137,986 and a total revised contract amount not to exceed $305,456; and Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the First Amendment to the Professional Consultant Services Agreement, including making minor and non-substantive changes.
BACKGROUND:
The Water Quality Control Plant (WQCP) provides treatment of domestic and industrial wastewater generated within the City of Riverside and the communities of Rubidoux, Edgemont and Jurupa. This entails the operation of the primary, secondary and tertiary treatment processes to produce high quality effluent that complies with all State and Federal requirements. Monitoring is required for the WQCP’s discharge to the Santa Ana River under Order No. R8-2013-0016, NPDES No. CA0105350.
To comply with effluent limitations and improve treatment efficiencies, the WQCP operates a California Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) certified laboratory. In 2024 the Laboratory achieved The NELAC Institute (TNI) Standard-2 approval and performs environmental and microbiological analyses. These tests include wet-chemistry and advanced analytical analyses. Each year, the Laboratory performs approximately 72,000 individual tests.
DISCUSSION:
On December 21, 2022, the City received one (1) response to Request for Proposals (RFP) 2257, for firms to provide state certified inorganic and organic chemical analyses for the WQCP for wastewater, receiving water, grit and screenings, industrial discharge, and biosolids samples.
After a review of the respondents’ qualifications and experience, Babcock Laboratories, Inc. of Riverside, California was selected by the proposal review team to be a qualified firm to perform the scope of work described in RFP 2257.
On June 20, 2023, the City approved the Professional Consultant Services Agreement from RFP 2257 for Riverside Regional Water Quality Control Plant inorganic and organic chemical analyses with Babcock Laboratories, Inc., of Riverside, California, and executed the agreement on June 26, 2023 through June 30, 2026, with the option to extend for one (1) additional two-year term not to exceed five (5) years.
Babcock Laboratories, Inc. has met the expectations of the RWQCP Laboratory staff during the July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2026, period and staff are therefore asking for approval to extend the contract through June 30, 2028.
Purchasing Overview
The original agreement was approved by City Council in accordance with Purchasing Resolution 24101, Section 508 which states, “Contracts procured through Formal Procurement shall be awarded by the Awarding Entity to the Lowest Responsive and Responsible Bidder, except that…(c) Contracts procured through Formal Procurement for Services or Professional Services, where a Request for Proposals or Request for Qualifications was used to solicit Bids, shall be awarded by the Awarding Entity in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in the Request for Proposals or Request for Qualifications.” This First Amendment is pursuant to Purchasing Resolution 24101, Section 1104 “Change Orders”, which states: “Modification to a Purchase Order shall be made only by Change Order. Subject to the availability of funds, Change Orders may be utilized for purposes of Change Orders which cumulatively exceed the following will require Awarding Entity approval... (c) 10% of the original contract price for Contracts and/or Purchase Orders previously approved by the Awarding Entity and the total Change Order amount will not exceed $150,000., and (d) A Contract amendment which extends the term of the agreement beyond one year of the original expiration date.
The Purchasing Manager concurs that the recommended action is compliant with Purchasing Resolution 24101.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of the action is $137,986 for the two-year term of the agreement. Sufficient funds are budgeted and available in the Sewer Fund, Laboratory Services, Professional Services account number 4125500-421000 and Environmental Compliance, Professional Services Regulatory Compliance account number 4125300-421043.
Prepared by: Victoria Villegas, Administrative Analyst
Approved by: Nathan Mustafa, Public Works Director
Certified as to
availability of funds: Julie Nemes, Finance Director
Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: James Johnson, City Attorney
Attachment:
Proposal
First Amendment Agreement
First Amendment to Babcock Laboratories Agreement ● Page 2