TO: HONORABLE MAYOR
AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Matt Loesch
SUBJECT: See Below DATE: September 14, 2026
Approved
Date:
9/24/2026
COUNCIL DISTRICT: Citywide
SUBJECT: Master Consultant Agreements with ADS Corp. and V&A Consulting Engineers for Citywide Sanitary and Storm Sewer Flow Monitoring Services
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the master consultant agreements for Citywide sanitary and storm sewer flow monitoring services with the following firms:
(a) ADS Corp. from the date of execution to December 31, 2029, in an amount not to exceed $2,000,000; and
(b) V&A Consulting Engineers from the date of execution to December 31, 2029, in an amount not to exceed $750,000.
SUMMARY AND OUTCOME
Approval of two master consultant agreements will enable the City of San José (City) to obtain the services of two consulting firms to conduct sanitary and storm sewer flow monitoring services. Approval of the agreements will allow the City to maintain its current long-term sewer flow monitoring and rain gauge programs, as well as provide temporary flow monitoring as needed by the City.
The data obtained will be used to refine and improve confidence in the City’s sanitary and storm sewer computer models. The models are used to support multiple programs and stakeholders, such as identifying sewer capacity needs and evaluating planning- level solutions for the Capital Improvement Program, determining available capacity for development projects, and assisting the Department of Transportation with investigating current problems within the sewer systems.
COUNCIL AGENDA: 10/6/26
FILE: 26-1046
ITEM: 2.10
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
September 14, 2026
Subject: Master Consultant Agreements with ADS Corp. and V&A Consulting Engineers for Citywide Sanitary and Storm Sewer Flow Monitoring Services
BACKGROUND
In 1998, the City initiated a sanitary sewer flow monitoring program, which lasted through 2001. The program consisted of 39 long-term flow meters, five pump station meters, and 21 rain gauges. Staff used data from that program to estimate sewer flow characteristics in the City for a sanitary sewer computer model, which would serve as the basis of analysis for the report entitled, Sanitary Sewer Master Plan Capacity Assessment for the South, Central, and North Areas.
Between 2007-2008, the City conducted another flow monitoring program. This one included 130 flow meters and 22 rain gauges over a four-month period and was used for an expansion of the sanitary sewer model to include all City-owned sanitary sewer lines 10-inch diameter and larger. The Public Works Master Plan team used the updated model for a new report, Sanitary Sewer Master Plan Capacity Assessment Phase II and Update of Phase I.
After completion of the report, the City began expanding the model to include the smaller City-owned sanitary lines. This effort drew on flow meter data collected over various programs between 2008 to 2021. In total, 577 meters were selected to calibrate the new model, which culminated in the Sanitary Sewer Master Plan Capacity Assessment Phase III and Updates to Phase II in March 2025.
In addition to the modeling effort for the sanitary sewer system, storm system flow monitoring has been in place since 2013. This data was used for the Storm Sewer Master Plan, which completed the Phase II analysis and report in 2025. Flow monitoring data was collected for model calibration; however, the efforts to date represent only a small percentage of modeled conveyance systems and drainage areas. Additional flow monitoring for the storm program will be needed to verify and update design storms, continue to refine computer models, and recommend capacity improvement projects.
Flow monitoring data has recently been collected for the storm program to analyze hydraulic impacts of large-trash-capture devices, and potential stormwater management benefits from low-impact-development and tree canopy, for improved citywide model inputs and assumptions.
ANALYSIS
A Request for Qualifications for consultant services to provide citywide sanitary and storm sewer flow monitoring consulting services was advertised on April 15, 2026. The City received Statements of Qualifications from three firms by the May 20, 2026, deadline. Staff from the Public Works Department conducted a selection process for consulting services in accordance with the evaluation criteria specified in the Request for Qualifications. The three firms were evaluated and ranked as follows:
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
September 14, 2026
Subject: Master Consultant Agreements with ADS Corp. and V&A Consulting Engineers for Citywide Sanitary and Storm Sewer Flow Monitoring Services
ADS Corp. V&A Consulting
Engineers
Total Flow,
Inc.
Expertise 23.67 20.50 21.00
Experience 32.75 29.25 27.25
Approach 28.17 24.67 22.83
Local Business Preference 0 0 0
Small Business Preference 0 0 0
Total 84.59 74.42 71.08
City staff recommend approval to execute two master consultant agreements with ADS Corp. (ADS) and V&A Consulting Engineers (V&A). ADS scored the highest in every category, and V&A ranked second in overall score. Both consultants have experience with several projects for other Bay Area agencies that met or exceeded the anticipated scope for this contract. Additionally, ADS and V&A have both worked on City flow monitoring programs in the past.
Each master consultant agreement will be administered through individual services orders that clearly define the project specific scope of services, deliverables, schedule, and compensation. Both firms demonstrated qualifications and experience that meet or exceed the City’s anticipated commissioning needs and will provide services on an as- needed basis.
ADS is a national firm with greater resources and is currently assisting the City with a long-term flow monitoring program under a master consultant agreement that will expire in December 2026. Currently, the City maintains 36 long-term meters and 16 rain gauges. Maintenance of these sites would cost approximately $1,850,000. Staff anticipates adding four additional meters to the program, accounting for $150,000. As such, the master consultant agreement with ADS will have a not-to-exceed amount of $2,000,000.
V&A is a smaller firm and is currently assisting the City with temporary flow monitoring on an as-needed basis under a master consultant agreement that will also expire in December 2026. For as-needed temporary flow monitoring, staff anticipates conducting approximately five programs over the next three years. Staff has budgeted approximately $150,000 per program. Therefore, the master consultant agreement with V&A will have a not-to-exceed amount of $750,000.
Policy Alternatives
Alternative #1: Award one master agreement to the top firm instead of top two.
Pros: Administration would be simpler with only one agreement.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
September 14, 2026
Subject: Master Consultant Agreements with ADS Corp. and V&A Consulting Engineers for Citywide Sanitary and Storm Sewer Flow Monitoring Services
Cons: A single consultant may not have enough resources to support the City’s flow monitoring program needs.
Reason for not recommending: Meter and/or installation crews availability can be an issue, especially for time-sensitive programs such as capturing storm events or investigating field changes to sewer flow. Having multiple consultants will provide backup options to minimize the risk of missing data collection.
Alternative #2: Do not award the master agreements and direct City staff to provide required services.
Pros: City would have more flexibility with the meters and could likely save money in the long-term.
Cons: City currently lacks expertise, equipment, and capacity to directly run its own flow monitoring program.
Reason for not recommending: Flow monitoring devices require specialized training for installation, calibration, and analysis. Without proper expertise, there is the risk that data would be incorrect and thus unusable. The City would need to procure the flow meter hardware and specialized parts for repair.
Alternative #3: Eliminate the flow monitoring program.
Pros: Saves money
Cons: City would not have the necessary data to continue calibration and updates on sanitary and storm models.
Reason for not recommending: Maintaining up-to-date data is vital for making informed decisions. Sanitary flows change over time due to new developments, climate change, water use policy, etc.
EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP
Service orders under the master consultant agreement will be approved by the Director of Public Works. No additional follow-up action with the City Council is expected at this time.
FISCAL IMPACTS
Both master agreements will have a three-year contract term with a total not-to-exceed amount of $2,000,000 for ADS, and $750,000 for V&A. In total, the implementation of the agreements and the program will have a not-to-exceed amount of $3,000,000, which includes $250,000 for project delivery (contract administration). The agreements will be funded by the Sanitary Sewer Connection Fee Fund (Fund 540), Sewer Service and Use Charge Capital Improvement Fund (Fund 545), and the Storm Sewer Capital Fund (Fund 469). Costs are anticipated to be evenly distributed over the three-year term, with approximately $915,000 budgeted annually, consisting of $665,000 for ADS
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
September 14, 2026
Subject: Master Consultant Agreements with ADS Corp. and V&A Consulting Engineers for Citywide Sanitary and Storm Sewer Flow Monitoring Services
and $250,000 for V&A. Funding for future fiscal years will be requested through the applicable future budget process.
1. TOTAL COST OF AGREEMENT:
Agreement with ADS (not to exceed) $2,000,000
Agreement with V&A (not to exceed) 750,000
Project Delivery (Contract Administration) 250,000
TOTAL PROJECT COSTS $3,000,000
2. COST ELEMENTS OF AGREEMENTS AS RECOMMENDED AS PART OF THE MEMORANDUM:
Maintaining Long-Term Flow Monitors $1,400,000
Maintaining Rain Gauges 450,000
New Long-Term Flow Monitors 150,000
Temporary Flow Monitors 750,000
Project Delivery (Contract Administration) 250,000
TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT $3,000,000
BUDGET REFERENCE
The table below identifies the funds and appropriations to fund the contracts recommended as part of this memorandum and remaining project costs, including project delivery (contract administration).
Fund
#
Appn.
# Appropriation Name Total
Appropriation
Amount for
Contract*
2026-2027
Proposed
Mid-Biennial
Capital
Budget
Page**
Last Budget
Action
(Date, Ord.
No.)
540 4696
Flow Monitoring
Program (Master
Planning)
$100,000 $100,000 164
6/16/2026
31336
545 4696
Flow Monitoring
Program (Master
Planning)
$563,000 $563,000 164
6/16/2026
31336
469 5867 Flow Monitoring
Program $415,000 $252,000 171
6/16/2026
31336
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
September 14, 2026
Subject: Master Consultant Agreements with ADS Corp. and V&A Consulting Engineers for Citywide Sanitary and Storm Sewer Flow Monitoring Services
* The amounts shown represent the FY 2026-2027 appropriation required to support the first year of the agreements. Funding for subsequent fiscal years will be requested through future budget appropriations, subject to City Council approval. ** The 2026-2027 Proposed Mid-Biennial Capital Budget was approved on June 9, 2026, and adopted on June 16, 2026 by the City Council.
COORDINATION
This memorandum and related documents have been coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office, City Manager’s Budget Office, and the Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement Department.
PUBLIC OUTREACH
This memorandum will be posted on the City Council Agenda website for the October 6, 2026 City Council meeting.
BOARD, COMMISSION, COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION AND INPUT
No board, commission, or committee recommendation or input is associated with this action.
CEQA
Not a Project, File No. PP17-002, Consultant services for design, study, inspection, or other professional services with no commitment to future action.
PUBLIC SUBSIDY REPORTING
This item does not include a public subsidy as defined in section 53083 or 53083.1 of the California Government Code or the City’s Open Government Resolution.
/s/
MATT LOESCH
Director of Public Works
For questions, please contact Garrett Haertel, Deputy Director, Public Works Department, at [email protected].