2NDNATURE Software Inc. 500 Seabright Ave Ste 205 Santa Cruz CA www.2ndnaturewater.com
Ms. Maria Delgado
City of Santa Clarita
23920 Valencia Blvd Ste. 120
Santa Clarita, CA 92355
Re: Request for Proposals for Stormwater Management Software
Dear Ms. Delgado,
We appreciate the opportunity to respond to the City of Santa Clarita's Request for Proposals #ES-23-24-8 for Stormwater Management Software. We admire the city’s for taking this step to procure a purpose-built stormwater management software for its stormwater program. 2NDNATURE’s mission is to provide our users with a comprehensive, user-friendly platform that assists with the overall management of the stormwater program and informs their decisions making.
We carefully reviewed the RFP and the LA Regional Water Board NPDES Permit Order No. R4- 2021-0105 and are confident that our qualifications, experience, and track record of success align closely with the responsibilities and deliverables preferred by the City and the permit requirements of the LA Regional Water Board.
2NDNATURE is a California-based software company passionate about protecting the environment. We have a unique body of knowledge gained through our involvement in the California stormwater community, including specific expertise in the evolving NPDES permit requirements. Our people, products, and service offerings reflect and embody that experience.
The 2NDNATURE team is committed to partnering with the City of Santa Clarita, to ensure the stormwater program team achieves its goals. We are certain that our 2NFORM platform meets all of the requirements detailed in the RFP. Moreover, we are confident that our ongoing investments in science, research, and software development will ensure that in the years to come, the City's stormwater program has the tools it needs to comply with the everchanging and evolving NPDES permit requirements.
We appreciate the opportunity to provide the City of Santa Clarita with our qualifications and proposed approach. Give us a chance, and we will focus our energy and passion on delivering the stormwater management software you need today and want in the future.
Kind regards,
Christopher B. Cappelli
President
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Oct 6, 2023.
City of Santa Clarita, California
Response to Request for Proposals
RFP No: ES-23-24-8
Stormwater Management Software
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Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 1
1.1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................... 1
1.2 SUPPLIER RESPONSIBILITIES ............................................................................................. 2
1.3 DELIVERABLES ............................................................................................................... 6
1.4 COMPANY OVERVIEW................................................................................................... 10
1.5 2NFORM PRODUCT OVERVIEW .................................................................................... 10
2.0 REFERENCES ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 14
3.0 PLAN OF STUDY/SCOPE OF WORK ................................ ................................ ...... 16
3.1 TASK 1. ONBOARDING AND IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING ................................................... 16
3.2 TASK 2. PROGRAMMATIC DATA PROCESSING AND LOADING ................................................ 18
3.3 TASK 3. SANTA CLARITA’S 2NFORM TRAINING, SUPPORT AND CONFIGURA TION .................... 22
3.4 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................. 25
4.0 SCHEDULE ................................ ................................ ................................ ......... 25
5.0 PROGRAM MANAGEMENT ................................ ................................ ................. 28
6.0 PERSONNEL, EQUIPMENT, AND FACILITIES ................................ .......................... 29
6.1 PROJECT MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................... 29
6.2 TECHNICAL SUPPORT .................................................................................................... 30
6.3 CUSTOMER SUPPORT ................................................................................................... 30
7.0 SUB CONSULTANTS ................................ ................................ ............................ 36
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1.0 Introduction
We appreciate the opportunity to respond to the City of Santa Clarita's Request for Proposal #ES-23-24-8 for Stormwater Management Software. 2NDNATURE is a national leader in providing science-based geospatial tools that improve environmental decision-making for stormwater management.
We are the manufacturer and sole distributor of the 2NFORM Stormwater Management software and the support services we propose in response to your RFP . We have structured this document following your response format directions.
1.1 Executive Summary
Stormwater runoff is a problem for all of us. In most communities, the people responsible for stormwater programs don't have the modern information management and data-backed methods to support and streamline their vital work. We created 2NFORM, our SaaS-based stormwater management software, to help MS4 programs comply with their NPDES permit, protect waterways from harmful pollutants, and inform sound land management and infrastructure investment decisions.
There are many ways that 2NFORM differs from alternatives, including products that emphasize recreating paper-based forms or projectware an engineering company or consultants may develop. 2NFORM is created by software engineers, scientists, GIS experts and stormwater practitioners to ensure every aspect of your product is optimized for the best possible outcomes for your community. An annual subscription to 2NFORM includes ongoing free support and training services. Each quarter, new capabilities are released to all of our users, and existing functionality is further refined based on feedback from our users in MS4 stormwater programs across the US. 2NFORM is a spatially explicit system built with components from Esri and ArcGIS because geography is essential for employing watershed-based stormwater planning methods. 2NFORM is a complete system that addresses the specifications in Section B's Supplier Responsibilities and Deliverables sections in the RFP.
Beyond our software, our science and executive teams have over 100 years of stormwater expertise, supporting programs similar to Santa Clarita’s. That expertise runs the gamut of MS4 technical support, development of field protocols, designing monitoring programs, and unique scientific City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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research/publications. We have been active participants in helping shape EPA and State Water Board stormwater provisions over the last decade, especially the incorporation of geospatial and asset management. We offer an innovative approach uniquely tailored to addressing your NPDES MS4 permit.
Rest assured, the 2NDNATURE team will guide and support you through every stage of your journey, day after day and year after year.
1.2 Supplier Responsibilities
We wanted to briefly summarize how 2NDNATURE and 2NFORM fulfill each of the requirements outlined in the Supplier Responsibilities outlined in section B.4. of the City’s RFP .
1.2.1 Basic understanding of NPDES Permit requirements and reporting responsibilities.
Beyond our software, our science and executive teams have over 100 combined years of stormwater expertise, supporting programs similar to Santa Clarita’s. That expertise runs the gamut of MS4 technical support, development of field protocols, designing and implementing water quality monitoring programs, and unique scientific research/publications. We have been active participants in helping shape EPA and State Water Board stormwater provisions over the last decade, especially the incorporation of geospatial and asset management. We offer an innovative approach uniquely tailored to addressing your NPDES MS4 permit.
Our program management methodology dictates that we begin each engagement by thoroughly reviewing the current NPDES permit. We took the liberty of reviewing the current LA Regional Water Board NPDES Permit Order No. R4-2021-0105 and cross-walked the relevant 2NFORM modules to their relevant permit requirements. We have included hyperlinks from the modules described below to allow you to see more details about each module and see screenshots from 2NFORM.
Crosswalk of LA Regional Water Board NPDES Permit Order No. R4-2021- 0105 to 2NFORM modules
Permit
Section
Permit Section Title Corresponding 2NFORM Module
City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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III.A Discharge Prohibitions
Non-Stormwater
Discharges
Trash
Illicit Discharge
Trash Compliance
VIII.B Progressive
Enforcement and
Interagency
Coordination
Industrial/Commercial
Construction
Post-Construction
Illicit Discharge
Collaboration Portal
VIII.D Public Information and
Participation Program
Public Education and Outreach
VIII.E Industrial/Commercial
Facilities Program
Industrial/Commercial
VIII.F Planning and Land
Development Program
Post-Construction
Adoption of Structural BMP
Diagnostics provides precise, rapid,
and consistent functional
assessment protocols to help
manage your program’s most
valuable stormwater assets.
Responsible parties of regulated
projects can be trained to utilize the
Structural BMP Diagnostics
protocols
and workflows and submit annual
O&M data directly within 2NFORM.
VIII.G Construction Program Construction
VIII.H Public Agency activities
program
Municipal Maintenance
Structural BMP Diagnostics
Industrial/Commercial
VIII.I Illicit Discharge
Detection and
Elimination Program
Illicit Discharge
Attachment
E
Monitoring and
Reporting Program
Water Quality Monitoring
City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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Attachment
H
Reporting Forms Annual Reporting
With 2NFORM, all of your
inspections and enforcement
histories are stored in a single, user-
friendly digital interface that is
synced with your ArcGIS Online or
Enterprise portal. Automated
tabular and narrative summaries, as
well as insights and trends of key
performance indicators, corrective
actions, and more, are automatically
populated in real-time.
Additionally, the 2NFORM Cost
Reporting module is currently under
development.
Attachment
I
Trash Reporting Forms Trash Compliance
The 2NDNATURE Science team
developed a model to quantify trash
reductions based on visual
observations and installed full
capture systems (FCS) and their
associated drainages. Users have the
ability to associate trash FCS devices
to catch basins in the Municipal
Maintenance module. The Trash
Compliance Module enhances the
user’s ability to quantify trash
reductions and automates trash
reporting based on priority land use
treated.
Attachment
M
TMDLs in the Santa
Clara River Watershed
Management Area
Program Impact
2NFORM includes a suite of
analytics to support strategic
planning, stormwater project
implementation and quantification
and tracking of pollutant load
reductions of the City of Santa
Clarita’s TMDLs within a GIS
framework.
City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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Finally, we wanted to offer links to the scientific studies/publications our team has authored; each is available in our website's Resource Library.
1.2.2 Review current city datasets, programs, and information to be considered for data migration and integration.
As part of the Plan of Study/Scope of Work, 2NDNATURE will review current city datasets, programs, and information to be considered for data migration and integration. We have a thorough regiment of Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) methods and techniques to assess your existing data and ensure your data is accurately reflected in 2NFORM. See section 3.0 for a detailed description of this crucial part of the 2NFORM implementation process. We have extensive experience rendering similar services for our users across the US.
1.2.3 Basic understanding of stormwater treatment device types, functions, and maintenance requirements.
Our experience gained through initiatives like "Keep Tahoe Blue" and collaborations with various California cities has been vital in shaping 2NFORM with a strong focus on stormwater treatment devices, which we call structural BMPs (sBMPs). One aspect of our work has been developing a standardized nomenclature for sBMP assets .
Additionally, we recognize the challenges posed by asset degradation, particularly in Southern California, where high soil erosivity is prevalent. This degradation directly impacts the effectiveness of these essential assets. We have developed a comprehensive set of Field Inspection protocols to address this concern and assist stormwater programs in strategically managing the maintenance and inspections of both public and private assets. These protocols are invaluable tools for gaining insights into the current effectiveness of these assets and visualizing their ongoing degradation. Those capabilities are not specifically required by the scope of this RFP. The city may elect to purchase the Structural BMP Diagnostics module at any point in the future.
City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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1.2.4 1.2.4 Program Management. The selected firm is expected to review existing stormwater program data for uploading or integration. Provide meetings or training of affected staff (approximately 12 individuals). Be available for questions and assistance, as needed, throughout the terms of the contract. The City will be acting as the primary contract manager . 2NDNATURE’s standardized program management methodology focuses on our users' success. A large part of a customer’s early success is achieved by leveraging existing stormwater program data and harmonizing it into a single geospatial database. We have provided details of our plan of study/scope of work and program management.
1.3 Deliverables
We will briefly summarize how our 2NFORM Stormwater Management software fulfills each of the requirements outlined in the Deliverables section of the City’s RFP .
1.3.1 Map-based interface with the ability to display details of various stormwater assets including details such as location, condition, phase, or inspection.
Yes - Maps are the Foundation of 2NFORM. Each of the 2NFORM modules features a consistent map-based interface that can display details of stormwater assets and regulated projects and facilities such as location, condition, phase, or inspection.
Within the Municipal Maintenance module, users can categorize each of the eight stormwater hard asset types: Catch Basins, Outfalls, Manholes, Pipes, Culverts, Cleanouts, Lift Stations, and Structural Best Management Practices (BMPs), of which the location and condition based on last inspection are displayed. There is a symbol to denote priority Catch Basins and a symbol to denote which assets are due for an inspection. Street Sweeping is the ninth and final category in this module. Users can input their street sweeping operation and maintenance plans to model the expected benefits of their program, as well as enter empirical data such as broom miles swept or volume of material removed.
Construction projects are stored in the Construction module. Users can toggle between displaying the project by phase or condition based on the last City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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inspection. A dynamic legend is available to help the user understand the phase or condition based on color. The history of site inspections, project contact correspondence, and enforcement actions is also stored for each project.
Completed construction projects conducted by private entities that triggered the Post-Construction requirements are stored in the Post-Construction module. The system includes the associated Structural BMPs delivered and existing on these regulated private new or redevelopment projects. Users may also toggle to view Post-Construction structural BMPs within each project by phase, type, and condition. The history of site inspections, project contact correspondence, and enforcement actions are also stored for each project.
Industrial and Commercial sites are mapped in the Industrial/Commercial and displayed by condition based on the last inspection. Dynamic inspection forms are tailored to the type of facility in question. The history of site inspections, correspondence, and enforcement actions is stored in each facility.
Users can perform inspections on all of the stormwater related assets, projects, and facilities listed above using these four modules of the 2NFORM platform.
1.3.2 1.3.2. Ability to create, manage, analyze, and map stormwater assets and integrate with Esri-based ArcGIS.
Yes - Integration with Esri ArcGIS is foundational to 2NFORM. 2NFORM allows users to create, manage, analyze, and map stormwater assets. 2NFORM fully integrates with Esri’s ArcGIS and provides comprehensive GIS mapping capabilities; refer to Figure 1 (below). As a valued Esri business partner, 2NDNATURE is Esri’s premier local government stormwater solution.
The tight coupling between 2NDNATURE and Esri provides the City with three significant advantages:
2NFORM organizes all stormwater program data in a geospatial digital framework. As we all know, to manage stormwater on a watershed scale, we must incorporate GIS at the foundation of stormwater programs. Recent CA State legislation includes several additions to the Water Code, including section 13196.1 and the required incorporation of GIS to evaluate and track the progress of stormwater compliance by early 2025.
The City of Santa Clarita can fully leverage any existing Esri subscriptions in three main ways. First, 2NFORM field inspections are fully integrated into Esri City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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Field Maps so any change management for field teams with experience with Esri Field Maps becomes minimal. Second, as part of our implementation process, 2NDNATURE works with the City’s GIS department to establish a digital sync between 2NFORM and its Esri portal instance. This ensures a single source of truth for all stormwater data and fulfills the 100% open data policy of 2NDNATURE. Lastly, the digital sync provides the City access to their stormwater data for other applications as desired.
1.3.3 1.3.3. Capability to categorize or query stormwater assets such as catch-basins, construction projects, and treatment devices for reports throughout the year .
Yes - Currently Available in 2NFORM. The feature of 2NFORM comes complimentary with the purchase of any module. The data you collect and organize throughout the year automatically populates tabular and narrative summaries for real-time reporting purposes. Additional analytics within each module's Insights and Trends tab offer further insight based on key performance indicators, corrective actions, and more. Finally, a detailed history of each asset, project, or facility is stored directly on the corresponding site.
1.3.4 1.3.4. Create inventory, maintenance schedules, and track trash capture devices in prioritized catch-basins.
Yes - Currently Available in 2NFORM. 2NFORM is a user-friendly web-based software meant to enable users to create an inventory of their stormwater assets, projects, and facilities. You can set maintenance and inspection frequency for each of the eight hard asset types listed above in section 1.3.1, construction projects, post-construction projects and their associated BMPs, and industrial and commercial facilities. Catch Basin inventories also can denote a basin as a priority and the ability to associate trash capture devices.
Optionally, the City can purchase the Trash Module to address other permit requirements not explicitly specified in the Deliverables section of the RFP .
City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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1.3.5 1.3.5. Visual metrics to analyze progress and generate details for various reports.
Yes - Currently Available in 2NFORM. Each module's Annual Reporting feature and Insights and Trends tab satisfy this requirement. Automated tabular and narrative summaries, as well as insights and trends of key performance indicators, corrective actions, and more, are automatically populated in real-time.
1.3.6 1.3.6. User-friendly Inspection input fields for stormwater-specific assets such as catch-basins, construction projects, and industrial facilities.
Yes - Currently Available in 2NFORM. Each module and its inspection forms remain consistent throughout the platform to enhance usability. Inspection questions are specific to the asset, project, or facility in question to ensure that inspectors gather all required information efficiently and effectively. This results in standardized and consistent data and results.
1.3.7 1.3.7. Ability to archive and recall past information pertinent to reporting.
Yes - Currently Available in 2NFORM. Past information from previous reporting years is retained. These details can be displayed for all assets. Year- on-year comparisons can be done in the Insights and Trends tab.
1.3.8 1.3.8. Cost estimation, including any initial setup fees, or range of costs, as part of conceptual designs consideration
Yes. We have provided the City with three alternative configurations of 2NFORM with associated cost quotations, which are included in the separately submitted Cost File. Because 2NFORM is a modular system, the City can procure precisely the modules it wants and needs now. Later, you can purchase additional modules to add additional capabilities to your 2NFORM stormwater management system.
City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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1.4 Company Overview
Based in Santa Cruz, 2NDNATURE develops geospatial capabilities that help our users achieve their clean water goals and comply with the California Water Board and US EPA requirements. Our users tell us that our software, expertise, and industry leadership help accelerate the pace at which they can move away from antiquated, disparate information management systems. 2NDNATURE, comprised of a team of scientists and software developers, has become a national leader in creating science-based geospatial tools that improve environmental decision-making. The team possesses extensive professional and educational expertise in watershed hydrology, pollution dynamics, water quality monitoring, biogeochemical cycling, and NPDES permit requirements. Team members also have extensive experience with spatial analytics, numeric and statistical modeling, database construction, data visualization, development of high-performance web applications, and DevOps. Our peer-reviewed science forms the backbone of our platform analytics, ensuring results are informative and technically defensible. 2NDNATURE's in-house software development team ensures a tight linkage between water quality science and software creation, a synergy that has contributed to our success. The system we build and sell, 2NFORM, is a cloud- based, 100% open-data system that provides complete data accessibility and flexibility. Working closely with communities throughout California and across the U.S., 2NDNATURE is shifting the paradigm of stormwater information management with purpose-built software that empowers local stormwater managers to be effective stewards of urban waterways.
We are Esri's go-to partner for stormwater management. Our close partnership with the global GIS leader Esri expands the breadth of geospatial solutions and standards we offer to our customers. As an Esri partner, we've thoughtfully incorporated ArcGIS APIs into our 2NFORM platform and taken great care to ensure you can fully leverage your investment in ArcGIS tools and data. 2NFORM brings MS4 stormwater compliance and science to ArcGIS, eliminating the need for our customers to develop and maintain complicated custom configurations and code.
1.5 2NFORM Product Overview
2NFORM is the first comprehensive stormwater information management system, purpose-built for municipal and regional stormwater programs. Since the initial release of two modules in 2017, today 2NFORM has matured to City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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provide an end-to-end solution to meet the comprehensive needs of municipal stormwater programs:
• The map-based interface can display details of stormwater assets, regulated projects, and facilities, including their location on the map, condition, phase, or inspection status.
• Minimum Control Measures (MCM) include efficient data collection and supporting workflows for permittees to track compliance, collaborate with those responsible for regulated projects, and automatically generate visual metrics to analyze progress and generate details for reports. • Complete inventory management of stormwater assets, projects, and facilities featuring the ability to attach files, set maintenance frequencies, and retain historical information. Automated “To Do” lists help ensure your team completes required tasks on schedule, while Insights and Trends offer a multitude of metrics to track program progress in real-time. • User-friendly inspection input fields for stormwater-specific assets, projects, and facilities ensure accurate and thorough results. The optional use of ArcGIS Field Maps for asset inspections offers additional capabilities, including device location monitoring for tracking crew members in the field for safety purposes.
• Offline capabilities in the field allow users to perform inspections and collect data in regions with limited connectivity, guaranteeing the capture of essential information. See an example of this product capability. • New modules are in development for emerging compliance requirements, and expansion of other existing programs include Asset Lifecycle Optimization and Cost Reporting. These modules may be purchased and added anytime.
• Integrated strategic planning provides a centralized solution to better collaborate around developing, prioritizing, and implementing stormwater investments and quantitatively and consistently tracking reductions for TMDL control measures. The program can gain Significant efficiencies to report progress toward Reasonable Assurance Analysis (RAA) targets. • Automated annual reporting. Based on user data, 2NFORM automatically generates maps, tabular reports, and concise textual summaries for each permit section. Dynamic filters allow users to categorize and query individual assets, projects, and facilities anytime. With 100s of 2NFORM City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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users across 16 states, we have found that our automated outputs streamline reporting for permittees that must complete standardized annual report forms as required by Attachment H of your permit.
Administrators can grant their regulator read-only access to reports of their choosing. Similar collaboration features are available to quickly share the history and details of one or more projects (or other specific information) with the regulator in response to an audit request. • With each new permit, MS4 requirements evolve. The nimble and system- level structure of 2NFORM allows us to update our product as stormwater information management needs of municipal programs change. • Integrated with Esri ArcGIS. 2NFORM fully integrates with Esri’s ArcGIS and provides comprehensive GIS mapping capabilities; refer to Figure 1 (below).
Figure 1: Depicts the 2NFORM stormwater management system and its integration with various ArcGIS products and potentially with other systems.
• 2NFORM is compatible with other external software solutions. In addition to 2NFORM’s native integration with Esri ArcGIS, we can integrate 2NFORM with systems. The nature of this integration varies significantly.
While we have successfully integrated 2NFORM with other software, the nature of each user’s situation is unique and tailored to their distinct needs. The 2NDNATURE team will work with the City’s IT department to establish the integration that you need and want.
• 2NFORM is a modular system, and each module shares a standard user interface and underlying data model. Figure 2 shows the home screen of 2NFORM and each available module. 2NDNATURE customers purchase
City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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and use the modules they need for their program. Additional information about the 2NFORM modules can be found on the 2NDNATURE website.
• Standardized. Integrated. Efficient. As illustrated by Figure 3, each module works together, making it possible for our customers to purchase and use some or all modules to construct the stormwater information management solution that meets the specific needs of their MS4 program. 2NFORM is developed following modern software engineering practices for high-performance web-based applications. All modules share a common code base, information model, and user interface. That deep integration ensures that you capture data once, and it flows through the system.
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2.0 References
We proudly provide customer references and encourage you to contact each.
In Salinas, California, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Hollister, California, 2NFORM is pivotal in supporting each stormwater management program. But much of the credit for the success of each belongs to the management and staff at each city.
City of Salinas, California
Since 2017, the City of Salinas has been utilizing 2NFORM to enhance its stormwater management practices. The city faced challenges complying with their MS4 permit and reporting progress on their TMDLs. 2NFORM reduced a burdensome 2,500-page annual report to a concise 30-page one, garnering their regulator's praise. By collaborating with regulators and adopting 2NFORM, the city transformed its stormwater program and its relationship with the regulator. The built-in analytics made available by using 2NFORM enables Salinas to quantify its direct contribution of water quality pollutants of concern to local receiving waters. This approach improved collaboration with regulators, streamlined compliance, and significantly simplified the annual reporting process, leading to a more effective and data-driven stormwater management program.
City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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Coincidently, Heidi Niggemeyer from the City of Salinas presented her program's use of 2NFORM at a webinar hosted by Esri on October 5, 2023. A copy of that presentation is available here, and the webinar recording will soon be available on Esri's website.
City of Baton Rouge, Louisiana
In 2022, Baton Rouge embarked on a transformation of its stormwater program. A consent decree from the US EPA dictated substantive action and immediate demonstrable progress. In weeks, city management and staff used 2NFORM to digitize critical aspects of its NPDES permit requirements, replacing manual processes and paper-based record-keeping with a modern information systems approach. The city has successfully demonstrated progress to the US EPA, partly due to its use of 2NFORM. City staff continues to add their missing hard assets daily and fill in missing details. With the fundamentals in place, the stormwater management team has begun to focus energy on improving other aspects of their community using 2NFORM. By embracing 2NDNATURE’s solution, Baton Rouge has achieved newfound efficiency and effectiveness in managing its stormwater initiatives, propelling it towards a more sustainable and data-informed approach to urban watershed management.
City of Hollister, California
Since 2017, Hollister has harnessed the power of 2NFORM to conduct a wide range of inspections, including construction inspections, structural Best Management Practices assessments, and catch basin inspections. This enduring partnership has allowed Hollister to streamline these critical inspection processes and leverage the full spectrum of 2NFORM's capabilities.
From data management to compliance with stormwater regulations, Hollister has successfully integrated 2NFORM into their stormwater program, showcasing their commitment to environmental stewardship. By utilizing the diverse functionalities of 2NFORM, Hollister continues to make informed decisions and enhance their urban watershed management efforts.
Beyond simplifying compliance, 2NFORM's embedded scientific analysis has empowered all three cities to quantitatively track pollutant load reduction progress, isolating urban contributions from outside sources of pollution.
City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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These insights have laid the foundation for cleaner waterways, improved regulatory relationships, and strategic planning. 2NFORM's adaptability and innovation have optimized stormwater management and fostered productive collaborations with regulators, ensuring sustainable and resilient futures for these communities.
2NDNATURE now serves stormwater programs in 15 states. The experiences of Salinas, CA, Baton Rouge, LA, and Hollister, CA, serve as just a few notable examples of how 2NDNATURE is making a positive impact in communities nationwide. We proudly serve our users and aspire to provide the best-in-class tools, support, and guidance.
3.0 Plan of Study/Scope of Work
Santa Clarita is situated in a uniquely challenging environment for stormwater management. Located in a canyon with highly erosive soils and undergoing rapid urbanization, the city faces some of the most severe stormwater challenges in Southern California. Recognizing these complexities, 2NDNATURE is excited about collaborating with Santa Clarita to implement our specialized software solution, 2NFORM.
This section highlights critical elements of our standard implementation methodology and plan. Based on our review of your current NPDES permit and the details outlined in the RFP , we are confident that we can successfully implement 2NFORM by January 1, 2024, to meet the deliverables outlined in Section B.5 of the RFP. This is, of course, dependent upon how soon the City makes its decision and is available to begin the work.
3.1 Task 1. Onboarding and Implementation Planning
We begin each project with our standard implementation methodology and plan. But we also know from experience that each city has specific nuances, constraints, and priorities that dictate that certain aspects of that plan be adjusted to match.
In Task 1, we aim to provide your instance of 2NFORM to you as rapidly as possible, understand your nuances, constraints, and priorities, and provide you with a thoughtful and detailed plan to enable us to work together efficiently.
Subtask: Fast Onboarding
City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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With 2NDNATURE's fast onboarding process, Santa Clarita will have access to its 2NFORM instance within days of contract finalization, immediately enabling efficient management, tracking, and reporting for specific MCM sections.
Santa Clarita's designated administrator will receive their login information, and we will begin familiarizing them with the City's 2NFORM instance. We will review the 2NFORM Help Center with product training videos, answers to frequently asked questions, and outlined standard operating procedures. 2NDNATURE staff will also be available to answer questions and provide assistance as needed. Having your instance of 2NFORM as rapidly as possible facilitates and informs critical conversations and provides the means to conduct internal demonstrations that help to enable system adoption.
Output: Santa Clarita will have an instance of 2NFORM that satisfies the core requirements outlined in Section B.5 of the RFP.
Subtask: Kickoff meeting
The kickoff meeting brings the key stakeholders together to educate them on the project's goals and intent, outline the project plan's essential aspects, encourage open discussion, and generate excitement. During the kickoff meeting, the 2NDNATURE and Santa Clarita teams will also discuss and share information about Santa Clarita's stormwater program, existing data and systems, and your GIS/IT landscape.
The meeting will be led and facilitated by the PMs from the City and 2NDNATURE. Ahead of this meeting, the PMs will meet to determine the parties that need to be represented at this meeting and develop the final agenda and list of invitees. We will use Google Meet or MS Teams to conduct the meeting. The session will be recorded and made available to the City if permissible.
The kickoff meeting can sometimes illuminate the need for breakout meetings to focus on details associated with your current data, systems, and permit requirements. All such meetings will be documented and tracked in the project plan.
Output: Shared understanding between Santa Clarita and 2NDNATURE of the City’s needs, priorities, key stakeholders, and responsibilities.
City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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Subtask: Implementation Plan Development
Using the insights gathered during the kickoff meeting, 2NDNATURE will make any required adjustments to the implementation plan. The final implementation plan will include specific details such as tasks, responsible parties, deadlines, and future meeting dates.
We will then provide the implementation plan to the City's PM and stakeholders for their review and comment. It is crucial to have the key stakeholders confirm that the proposed details and timeline align with their needs and commit the required time and resources to complete the plan as scheduled. Any questions or required revisions will be addressed and documented during this review phase.
2NDNATURE will utilize and share a Google Sheets document with the City, allowing both PMs to remain coordinated and maintain a living record of the project. This approach helps everyone involved stay informed on progress and aware of how any issues encountered are resolved.
Output: The project's implementation plan that is tailored to the priorities and objectives of Santa Clarita, including critical dates, stakeholders, and timelines, all assigned and populated into a shared Google Sheets.
3.2 Task 2. Programmatic Data Processing and Loading
This task involves aggregating and loading data into 2NFORM for your various MS4 permit sections:
• VIII.H - Public Agency Activities Program
• VIII.E - Industrial/Commercial Facilities Program
• VIII. G - Construction Program
• VIII.F - Planning and Land Development Program
• IX. - Watershed Management Programs
Following 2NDNATURE's structured data processing approach, Santa Clarita will gain insights into existing data conditions, adopt master data management best practices, adopt 2NFORMS enhanced stormwater foundation template City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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defining how stormwater data is stored in your ArcGIS geodatabase, and establish a data sync between 2NFORM and your ArcGIS Enterprise Portal.
Subtask: Data Discovery
2NFORM can utilize various types of tabular and spatial data related to the requirements of your NPDES permit and future stormwater management needs. This includes your stormwater (hard) assets, which collectively define the City's storm drain network. Other essential information includes the location and pertinent details of all active/permitted construction projects, post-construction sites and associated sBMPs, municipal facilities, and regulated industrial/commercial sites.
We aim to ensure that Santa Clarita utilizes the best available data when it begins using 2NFORM. To facilitate identifying/locating that data, we will provide a data requirements document detailing the specific data needs of 2NFORM. Together, we will use that document to determine the best data you currently have available (in existing systems, databases, spreadsheets, and ArcGIS feature classes). This document will help Santa Clarita and 2NDNATURE identify any data gaps and then strategize how best to resolve those gaps. 2NDNATURE will also provide an ArcGIS file geodatabase, something we refer to as the enhanced stormwater foundation template. We will provide direction and support to the City's GIS team on using that geodatabase to load any existing geospatial data related to your stormwater network and the other essential information. This template streamlines the collection, standardization, and assessment of your data. This is a crucial QA/QC checkpoint. When completed, the City will securely transmit the file geodatabase and any notes detailing errata or questions to 2NDNATURE.
Output: The completed data requirements document and an ArcGIS file Geodatabase containing the city’s geospatial data.
Subtask: Asset Registry Jumpstart
Our proposal includes our Asset Registry Jumpstart service. 2NDNATURE will conduct a detailed review of the provided data to verify that it meets all data quality control requirements and relay its findings to the City. Our rigorous QA/QC tests identify and flag data inconsistencies, including missing asset IDs, duplicate records, missing data, and nomenclature discrepancies. If any data fails to pass these quality checks, we will document the issues and convene a meeting to discuss how to resolve them. The PMs will determine if project plans or schedule adjustments are warranted. When the data successfully City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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passes the QA/QC tests, it will be uploaded into the City's instance of 2NFORM. It will then be available for City staff to explore and review from the 2NFORM interface.
Output: Results of the QA/QC and, ultimately, your stormwater data loaded into your instance of 2NFORM and available for your staff to access and begin using.
Subtask: Establish Esri ArcGIS + 2NFORM Sync
2NFORM is engineered to function in symbiosis with Esri's ArcGIS platform, enabling bi-directional data synchronization between the two. This seamless integration ensures that stormwater assets and associated data entered in 2NFORM are automatically updated in Santa Clarita's GIS system and vice versa. The benefit here is twofold: it simplifies data upkeep and establishes a single, authoritative source for stormwater data. Allowing data to flow between 2NFORM and ArcGIS Enterprise empowers stormwater staff and GIS managers to maintain and update stormwater asset maps in either system.
This functionality is efficient and a critical safeguard that ensures your program data is consistent and complete.
We will work with the City's GIS team to establish a bilateral sync connection between 2NFORM and Santa Clarita's Enterprise environment. This is functionality that 2NDNATURE will provide for the City's ArcGIS system. Santa Clarita's GIS team will create an ArcGIS shared group and designate a Creator user in the environment that 2NDNATURE will use to authenticate its access and changes made to the geodatabase following Esri’s recommended best practices. Once the bilateral connection is established, it's imperative to validate the integrity of the synced data between 2NFORM and ArcGIS. Our system runs rigorous data checks as part of the syncing process to ensure that the data elements across both platforms remain consistent.
Output: Santa Clarita will have a seamless and dynamic integration between 2NFORM and ArcGIS.
Subtask: Project and Facility Data
2NDNATURE will provide Help Center articles, guides, and data templates for putting project and facility data into the 2NFORM data structure. The City will take on the role of data preparation and loading of construction projects, low- impact development projects, industrial and commercial facilities, and municipal facilities. Unlike the management of "hard" assets, data related to construction and post-construction projects typically resides in a separate City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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system responsible for site permitting. By overseeing the data review process for these sites, the City can ensure that only projects falling under construction and post-construction permit requirements are loaded into its 2NFORM instance. This approach allows the City to internally align and locate associated project files, such as as-builts, O&M plans, and project contacts.
This collaborative effort enables the City to understand the specific project attributes from the City's permitting system that should be incorporated into 2NFORM. The City will upload data, utilizing 2NFORM's Bulk Import tools and its user-friendly data import interface that includes step-by-step instructions.
The 2NDNATURE team will be available to answer questions and assist.
Output: The City’s 2NFORM instance will be populated with the relevant construction and post-construction facilities and data to meet sections VIII.F and VIII.G of Santa Clarita’s MS4 permit. Additionally, 2NFORM will contain the Industrial, Commercial, FOG, and municipality-owned facilities and data regulated by sections VIII.E and VIII.H of Santa Clarita’s MS4 permit.
Subtask: Land Characterization Data (optional)
2NFORM can utilize various land characterization map data layers to aid in your watershed-based planning and daily operations. This data includes geospatial layers, including drainage catchments, land use, parcels, and priority land use areas for trash assessments. We will provide documentation and guidance to help you collect and organize the data you may need and want in the future. This data is optional and not required to fulfill the requirements outlined in the RFP . We are providing this additional detail because you will find it invaluable for your efforts.
2NFORM comes ready off-the-shelf, equipped with a baseline model that predicts the volume of stormwater runoff and particulate matter for each HUC-12 watershed within the City. This provides initial insight regarding high- priority areas and overall watershed management planning, which is crucial for strategic decision-making. Although not required, we recommend the City eventually generate more accurate/localized drainage catchment delineations.
The Santa Clarita team can utilize the step-by-step mapping guidance documents and videos in the 2NFORM Help Center alongside the mapped infrastructure from the Asset Registry Jumpstart. We also have a webinar available here that demonstrates this process using ArcGIS.
We encourage the City to create a series of essential land characterization layers, including catchments (urban sub-watersheds) as described above, land use, parcels, and priority land use areas for trash assessments. Importing these layers into 2NFORM offers dynamic data filtering capabilities, which City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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enable better insight into asset degradation cycles and IDDE incident trends.
This approach promotes effective stormwater management with a watershed- first perspective and will supplement Santa Clarita’s Watershed Management Plan.
As the City completes the data preparation of these layers, 2NDNATURE will conduct a thorough QA/QC assessment. This comprehensive review ensures geospatial alignment, verifies attribute completeness, and rectifies any underlying inconsistencies. Assuming a successful QA/QC process with no issues identified, we will perform the data import into 2NFORM on behalf of the City, ensuring a seamless integration of these valuable layers into the platform.
Output: Four land characterization layers that accurately represent the land use, parcels, catchments, and priority land use trash areas of the city. These layers will be loaded into 2NFORM to help the city make strategic stormwater decisions based on urban hydrology, identify trends in programmatic stormwater data, and better characterize stormwater runoff and particulate loading for watershed planning.
3.3 Task 3. Santa Clarita’s 2NFORM Training, Support and Configuration We will provide a multifaceted and comprehensive training, support, and configuration plan to ensure Santa Clarita's adoption and use of 2NFORM.
Subtask: Product Training
As we learn more about your stakeholder's requirements and needs, we will formally outline a comprehensive training strategy tailored to the City's needs.
Training doesn't abruptly end when your initial implementation project is completed; our team will be available to answer questions and, when needed, provide additional personalized instruction and guidance. We will do everything we can to help your staff adopt and fully leverage your investment in 2NFORM.
In our work with other cities, the training matches the typical personas, e.g., administrators, data managers, and mobile workers. Project Coordinator training (Admin user type) will focus on backend functionalities, user management, and advanced settings, empowering administrators to serve as the first line of organizational support and make data-driven decisions.
Technology services training (Data Manager user type) will delve into the City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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specifics of data requirements, quality assurance, extraction, and reporting features, honing their skills to maintain data accuracy and compliance with regulatory standards. Lastly, Field Inspector Training (Mobile Worker user type) will specialize in the hands-on application of 2NFORM in the field, including the mobile interface for inspections and data collection. Overall, the goal is to equip administrators, data managers, and field inspectors with the necessary skills to efficiently manage stormwater data, ensure quality control, and meet regulatory requirements.
Output: 2NDNATURE will outline and partner with the City to conduct training workshops to ensure city staff adopt and leverage 2NFORM. We will share the recordings of each session for later use by the City as a refresher and to train new staff.
Subtask: Ongoing Support
Our team is committed to providing Santa Clarita with an ongoing support system to ensure the City's continuous and effective use of 2NFORM. This support includes training videos, a robust Help Center, tailored training sessions, and access to our US-based staff.
The Help Center contains manuals, FAQs, and support documentation, allowing Santa Clarita to independently resolve common issues and questions efficiently.
2NDNATURE’s support team can provide technical support and render assistance through various channels, including email and video calls. You will find that most have worked in or for MS4 programs and have firsthand knowledge and experience using 2NFORM. When a technical issue is encountered or you need personalized assistance, the fastest and most practical way to contact us is by opening a support ticket. Support tickets are easily created directly from inside the 2NFORM system. Your support ticket provides us and you the means to track your issues and questions through their resolution.
This comprehensive support approach underscores our commitment to supporting Santa Clarita's success in stormwater management.
Output: Santa Clarita will have a variety of ongoing support outlets, including a robust self-service Help Center with training videos and a designated support representative to assist with more complex questions and tailored training.
City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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Subtask: Instance Configuration
2NFORM is off-the-shelf software, and we have tremendous experience supporting stormwater programs, including many in California. Occasionally, a city may need to customize some aspects of the 2NFORM system, most notably, the front-end labels that appear on forms. We will configure the 2NFORM front-end labels if required to meet Santa Clarita’s specific stormwater program requirements. If we believe a requested change could result in confusion or otherwise hinder the analytic or reporting functionality of 2NFORM, we will tell you and work to explore feasible alternatives.
We make every effort to support and accommodate the needs of our users.
We are always open to exploring ideas for enhancing existing capabilities and adding new functionality to 2NFORM. Your suggestions and needs matter to us.
Output: The capability to configure particular 2NFORM form labels to match your specific needs and terminology. Openness to feedback, suggestions, enhancements, and new capabilities that help your program achieve compliance and practice watershed-based planning.
Subtask: Accela Integration
The 2NDNATURE team will collaborate with Santa Clarita's IT and stormwater management staff to identify the technical and functional specifications for integrating Accela and 2NFORM.
2NFORM is a cloud-native platform architected and built upon web services and APIs. Likewise, our tight coupling with Esri ArcGIS affords additional avenues to support integrations with other systems. Thus, we can explore various integration patterns and technical means to facilitate the integration required to support your needs.
We will explore the use cases that drive the need to integrate 2NFORM and Accela. The 2NDNATURE software engineering and development team and President will lead this effort, gather business and technical requirements, and provide one or more feasible means to implement a durable and reliable integration. We can then determine the best technical approach to link these systems and their data to support those use cases.
Output: Define the use cases and technical requirements for integrating the two systems. Provide one or more technical pathways to establish a durable City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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and reliable integration. Work jointly with Santa Clarita and Accela staff to implement an integration pathway.
3.4 Conclusion
We summarized our standard project methodology while incorporating elements we gleaned from studying your permit. Nothing about your implementation causes us concern, and we have the staffing resources available right now to ensure your deadline is met.
2NDNATURE is dedicated to developing software solutions for stormwater programs like yours. Our science team continues to do pioneering work to support various aspects of stormwater management, analytics, and modeling; please refer to the various peer-reviewed journal publications authored by our team members and found in our resource library. We are Esri's go-to partner for stormwater, and our connections to Esri run deep. We invest significantly in research and software development to ensure our functionality supports any new or evolving NPDES permit requirements.
We are excited about the prospect of collaborating with Santa Clarita to tackle your unique stormwater challenges and help you exceed your management goals now and into the future.
4.0 Schedule
2NDNATURE has detailed the work schedule for the tasks and subtasks listed in the section above (3.0 Plan of Study/Scope of Work). Each task has proposed work periods, completion dates, and anticipated meeting dates. We use November 1st, 2023, as the expected start date if Santa Clarita selects 2NDNATURE. Our estimated dates and times are based on our understanding of the city's data and experience working with similar programs. By November 11, we will have firm dates and accurate timelines set for all tasks. Should the actual start date differ from November 1st, we will adjust the project plan and timeline accordingly.
Task 1: Onboarding and Implementation Planning
Subtask: Fast Onboarding
City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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• Responsible Parties: 2NDNATURE
• Proposed Work Period: 11/1 - 11/3
• Anticipated Completion Date: 11/6
• There are no meetings involved in this subtask.
Subtask: Kickoff Meeting
• Responsible Parties: 2NDNATURE / Santa Clarita
• Proposed Work Period: 11/1
• Anticipated Completion Date: 11/1.
• There is one meeting (11/1; two hours)
Subtask: Implementation Plan Development
• Responsible Parties: 2NDNATURE / Santa Clarita
• Proposed Work Period: 11/1 - 11/11
• Anticipated Completion Date: 11/11
• There is a single 2-hour (11/11; one hour)
Task 2: Programmatic Data Processing and Loading
Subtask: Data Discovery
• Responsible Parties: 2NDNATURE / Santa Clarita
• Proposed Work Period: 11/1 - 11/10
• Anticipated Completion Date: 11/10
• There is one meeting (11/1; two hours)
Subtask: Asset Registry Jumpstart
• Responsible Parties: 2NDNATURE
• Proposed Work Period: 11/1 - 11/10
• Anticipated Completion Date: 11/10
• There is one meeting (11/1; two hours)
Subtask: Establish Esri ArcGIS + 2NFORM Sync
City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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• Responsible Parties: 2NDNATURE / Santa Clarita
• Proposed Work Period: 11/1 - 11/10
• Anticipated Completion Date: 11/10
• There is one meeting (11/1; two hours)
Subtask: Project and Facility Data
• Responsible Parties: 2NDNATURE / Santa Clarita
• Proposed Work Period: 11/1 - 11/10
• Anticipated Completion Date: 11/10
• There is one meeting (11/1; two hours)
Subtask: Land Characterization Data
• Responsible Parties: 2NDNATURE / Santa Clarita
• Proposed Work Period: 11/1 - 11/10
• Anticipated Completion Date: 11/10
• There is one meeting (11/1; two hours)
Task 3. Santa Clarita’s 2NFORM Training, Support and Configuration • Responsible Parties: 2NDNATURE / Santa Clarita
• We begin training as soon as fast onboarding is complete, and the training plan and schedule will be developed after the
implementation plan is completed.
• Proposed Work Period: 11/11 - ongoing
• Anticipated Completion Date: Ongoing
The quality and completeness of your data and the availability of city staff will significantly influence the schedule and timeline. We want the city to feel confident in the implementation plan and comfortable communicating and collaborating with the 2NDNATURE project team throughout the implementation process.
City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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5.0 Program Management
In our commitment to delivering the highest level of service and satisfaction to our customers, we have established a well-defined practice of implementing 2NFORM derived from principles of the agile methodology. This approach is deeply ingrained in our processes and reflects our dedication to agility, collaboration, and responsiveness. When we embark on a 2NFORM implementation project for any of our customers, we prioritize adaptability and flexibility throughout the entire project lifecycle.
Our methodology allows us to respond to customer requirements that can often change when they begin to experience the digitizing of historically paper-based processes, nuances in the customer’s business or IT landscape, and the realities we encounter after evaluating the actual state of a customer's existing data. It encourages regular and close collaboration between our teams and our customers, ensuring that we remain aligned with their specific needs and expectations. We organize our work into iterative and incremental phases, which enables us to deliver value quickly and receive continuous feedback. This iterative approach helps us identify potential issues or adjustments early in the project, reducing the risk of late-stage surprises.
Furthermore, our methodology promotes transparency and visibility. We maintain open lines of communication with our customers, providing them with regular updates on project progress, milestones achieved, and any challenges encountered. We prefer to utilize platforms that allow us to collaborate asynchronously. This collaborative environment fosters trust and empowers our customers to actively participate in shaping the direction of the implementation.
By adhering to agile principles, we enhance our ability to deliver a successful 2NFORM implementation that meets and often exceeds our customers' expectations. We understand that each customer's unique requirements and goals require a tailored approach, and our methodology ensures that we can pivot and adapt swiftly to deliver the most value and the best outcomes for our clients.
In the illustration below, we have depicted the tasks and schedule following our program management methodology.
City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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Our team is pre-staged and ready to begin work on your project the same day you notify us of your decision. We are prepared to initiate a pre-boarding effort to accelerate specific tasks outlined in the project plan, including the fast onboarding to provision your 2NFORM instance and begin working with the City to review existing data. Knowing from experience that data quality can vary, we are prepared to share our enhanced stormwater foundation template upon contract award and fast-track the QA/QC process. We are also ready to adjust the tasks and schedule to bring your team up to speed module-by-module. You could be using 2NFORM to support specific workflows within two weeks of that award notification.
6.0 Personnel, Equipment, and Facilities
2NDNATURE is a tight-knit company of 25 scientists, GIS professionals, programmers, and customer support personnel. We utilize all of our capabilities to support our customers. The implementation of Santa Clarita’s platform will be led by three senior personnel:
Project Manager: Dr. Catherine Riihimaki, Research Director Lead Technical Support: Kevin Depolo, GIS Analyst
Lead Customer Support: Wilson Shealy, Solution Engineer
6.1 Project Management
Dr. Catherine Riihimaki, 2N’s Research Director, will manage the project and ensure our program management methodology is followed. She has two decades of environmental science experience, focusing on water dynamics.
She will ensure that tasks are implemented efficiently and on schedule. Her
City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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work will include developing an Implementation Plan within the first week of the project start date. The Implementation Plan will be managed adaptively, allowing for updates and changes as onboarding progresses. The Implementation Plan will be drafted for Santa Clarita’s approval and distributed to key staff responsible for managing tasks and deliverables.
Effective and frequent communication is vital to a successful project. Through the onboarding and implementation process, the Project Manager will have routine check-in meetings with the City to review the status of tasks, seek input or direction on decisions needed, and address any challenges with the project. The Project Manager will prepare agendas, facilitation, meeting minutes, and presentations.
The Project Manager will also meet with the 2NDNATURE internal team regularly to manage tasks, track the production of deliverables, and assist team leads with problem-solving challenges. To maintain quality results, all deliverables will be reviewed by the Project Manager. All work products will be held to the highest standard for technical accuracy, sound science, and practices. As a company director, Catherine has immediate and direct access to our CEO and President should an escalation or prioritization of resources be required.
6.2 Technical Support
Kevin Depolo, 2NDNATURE GIS Analyst, will be the lead technical support for the project. Kevin has programming and GIS expertise developed through work at 2NDNATURE and Apple. Kevin recently completed GIS programming certification through Penn State University. As lead technical support, he will spearhead fast onboarding, the Asset Registry Jumpstart, migrating city GIS data into 2NFORM, the data sync between Esri’s ArcGIS Online and 2NFORM, and the approach to Accela integration.
6.3 Customer Support
Wilson Shealy, 2NDNATURE Solution Engineer, will be the lead customer support for the project. Wilson's educational background in Limnology and Hydrology equips him with a deep understanding of strategic stormwater management goals. At the same time, his experience managing field City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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inspection crews further enhances his ability to grasp program needs and provide valuable training.
Wilson will be your primary support contact and provide continuity as your implementation project ends and your routine daily use of 2NFORM begins.
He will coordinate and lead software demonstrations and training sessions.
Wilson has worked closely with many of 2NDNATURES customers and will offer insights and lessons learned by other users. In time, you will interact with other customer support resources at 2NDNATURE. Wilson has already studied your permit and crosswalked your requirements to our 2NFORM capabilities. His experience and knowledge will help us achieve your intended project's go-live date.
Catherine Riihimaki, PhD – Research Director
Dr. Catherine Riihimaki is an Earth scientist with extensive experience in fluvial geomorphology and climate change. Over her two-decade career, she has led research projects across the United States, including Alaska, California, Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado. Her research toolbox includes real-time monitoring of stream and weather systems, numerical and statistical modeling using Matlab and R, GIS using ArcGIS and QGIS, and analytical chemistry of sediment and water samples. Her projects with 2NDNATURE i nclude stream restoration work in the Lake Tahoe basin, stormwater studies along the California Central Coast, and stormwater management throughout the US. As Research Director, Catherine serves as the link between 2NDNATURE and collaborators from research institutions and other stormwater organizations. She also provides technical expertise across the scope of the 2NDNATURE portfolio and mentors junior colleagues. She previously worked in higher education as faculty and an administrator, most recently as A ssociate Director of Science Education for Princeton University. She volunteers with the National Association of Geoscience Teachers and serves as an elected member of her local Board of Education.
Years of Experience 20 Education PhD, Earth Science, University of California, Santa Cruz, 2003 BA, Geosciences and Mathematics, Williams College, 1998 Summa Cum Laude and Highest Honors
Professional
Credentials &
Registrations
Member, American Geophysical Union
Member, Geological Society of America
Member, National Association of Geoscience Teachers
Member, American Association for the Advancement of Science
Professional Appointments
2021-present Research Director, 2NDNATURE Software Inc. 2012-2021 Associate Director, Science Education, Princeton University 2008-2012 Assistant Professor, Drew University (promoted to associate professor in 2012) 2004-2008 Lecturer and Keck Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Geology, Bryn Mawr College 2003-2004 Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Geology, Colby College
Relevant Past Experience
● Pollutant Load Reduction Plan. Salinas, CA. Summarized current efforts toward NPDES permit compliance and developed targets and strategies for the city to further reduce stormwater runoff volumes and pollutant loads.
● Upper Los Angeles River Strategic Planning Platform. Upper Los Angeles River Watershed . Worked with Craftwater and 2NDNATURE colleagues to model stormwater pollutant loads and develop software to efficiently assess the environmental impacts of different stormwater control measures. ● Monitoring and Reporting Plan . Salinas, CA. Analyzed stormwater monitoring data for comparison with modeling results and developed recommendations for cost-effective revisions to the plan. ● Lake Tahoe Stream Restoration . South Lake Tahoe, CA. Developed cost-effective strategy for monitoring effectiveness of stream restorations and studied impact on Lake Tahoe water quality.
Recent Publications
Burls, N. J., Bradshaw, C. D., De Boer, A. M., Herold, N., Huber, M., Pound, M., Donnadieu, Y., Farnsworth, A., Frigola, A., Gasson, E., von der Heydt, A. S., Hutchinson, D. K., Knorr, G., Lawrence, K. T., Lear, C. H., Li, X., Lohmann, G., Lunt, D. J., Marzocchi, A., Prange, M., Riihimaki, C. A., Sarr, A.-C., Siler, N., Zhang, Z. (2021), Simulating Miocene warmth: insights from an opportunistic multi-model ensemble (MioMIP1), Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology, 36(5), e2020PA004054, doi: 10.1029/2020PA004054.
Conley, G., Beck, N., Riihimaki, C., McDonald, K., and Tanner, M. (2021), Assessing the feasibility of a cloud - based, spatially distributed modeling approach for tracking green stormwater infrastructure runoff reductions, Water, 13(3), 255; doi:10.3390/w13030255.
Conley, G., Beck, N., Riihimaki, C. A., and Hoke, C. (2019), Improving urban trash reduction tracking with spatially distributed Bayesian uncertainty estimates, Environmental Science & Technology , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compenvurbsys.2019.05.001.
Riihimaki, C. A., and Viskupic, K. (2019), Motivators and inhibitors to change: why and how do geoscience faculty modify their course content and teaching methods , Journal of Geoscience Education , doi:
10.1080/10899995.2019.1628590.
Kevin Depolo – GIS Analyst
Kevin is a GIS analyst for 2NDNATURE with a background in environmental science and GIS programming. He uses his technical proficiency in geospatial software to develop tools and processes for spatial data analytics at 2NDNATURE. His experience working as an associate scientist for 2NDNATURE provided him a practical understanding of stormwater management, adding nuance to his approach to stormwater analytics and modeling. As an environmental scientist, Kevin is determined to provide cutting edge solutions to organizations that promote ecological health.
Years of Experience 6 Education
Graduate Certificate, Geospatial Programming and Web
Development, Penn State, State College, 2022
BS, Environmental Science, University of Oregon, Eugene, 2016
Professional Appointments
2023-present GIS Analyst, 2NDNATURE
2020-2021 Associate Scientist, 2NDNATURE
2019-2020 GIS Specialist, Apple
2017-2018 Consulting Utility Forester, CN Utility Consulting Relevant Past Experience
● Trash Inspections and Modeling . Performed rapid visual trash assessments and full capture system assessments for the cities of Santa Cruz and Salinas. Used 2NFORM to analyze results and inform further management solutions.
● 2NDNATURE Data Editing Application . Developed an ESRI application that allows 2NDNATURE to crowdsource suggested edits to an internal stormwater utility incentive program database. ● Onboarding GIS Tool Development . Developed internal tools in ArcGIS Pro and Python to assist in spatial data analysis and preparation for 2NFORM.
● Customer Stormwater Spatial Data ETL . Extracted and transformed customer provided spatial data to be loaded into 2NFORM software. Developed hydrologic spatial datasets for customers to input for stormwater modeling.
● 2NFORM Software Adoption . Developed and led in-person and virtual trainings to support multiple jurisdictions’ transition to and adoption of 2NFORM software to track NPDES compliance and improve stormwater programs’ effectiveness.
● Stormwater Asset Monitoring . Salinas, CA. Cataloged, inspected and analyzed results for structural stormwater assets within the city of Salinas.
● Water Quality Monitoring – Estuarine Systems. Santa Cruz, CA. Performed long-term data collection effort to assess water quality conditions for salmonids in coastal lagoons. Deployed and maintained water quality instrumentation and analyzed results.
Wilson Shealy – Solutions Engineer
Wilson is a solution engineer for 2NDNATURE, bringing a strong background in environmental science and stormwater management to the team. With experience as a Field Crew leader and program manager, Wilson plays a key role in helping customers discover the potential uses and integration of 2NFORM within their programs. He is dedicated to working closely with clients, offering training, ongoing support, and expertise to facilitate the seamless adoption and implementation of the comprehensive 2NFORM software suite.
Years of Experience 6 Education
MS, Data Analytics, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, Current BS, Environmental Science, Indiana University, Bloomington, 2018
Professional Appointments
2021-present Solutions Engineer, 2NDNATURE
2018-2021 Program Manager, Davey Tree Expert Company Relevant Past Experience
● Water Quality Sampling: Conducted in-situ and composite sampling of streams and riparian ecosystems to facilitate nutrient loading analysis and runoff mitigation strategies. ● Field Crew Management: Managed a team of six crew members responsible for asset inspections, pesticide and fertilizer application, and annual activity reporting. ● Industrial and Commercial Site Inspections: Conducted pre-EPA audit inspections for Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP) at auto salvage facilities, identifying stormwater risks and effectively communicating findings to property and facility managers. ● Customer Stormwater Spatial Data ETL: Extracted and transformed spatial data provided by customers, preparing it for integration into 2NFORM software. Developed hydrologic spatial datasets to assist customers in stormwater modeling.
● 2NFORM Software Adoption: Orchestrated and led both in-person and virtual training sessions to facilitate the transition and implementation of 2NFORM software within multiple jurisdictions. This aided in tracking NPDES compliance and enhancing the effectiveness of stormwater programs.
City of Santa Clarita, California, Response to RFP # ES-23-24-8
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7.0 Sub Consultants
2NDNATURE does not intend to use sub-consultants for this project. We are fully staffed to perform all aspects of this project ourselves.