City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: July 12, 2022
Agenda Item: 5.B
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Rick Valte, Public Works Director, Public Works, Engineering and Street Services
Subject: Award Professional Services Agreement to Craftwater Engineering, Inc. to Prepare Feasibility Studies & Design Concept Reports for MS4 Compliance and Trash Reduction Projects
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Award RFP #2651 to Craftwater Engineering, Inc. to provide technical engineering services, develop feasibility studies, and provide design concept reports for Watershed projects for the Public Works Department;
2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a professional services agreement with Craftwater Engineering, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $302,300 (including a 15% contingency).
Summary
The City’s efforts in stormwater and watershed management are centered around compliance with state and federal permits and mitigating pollutants entering the Santa Monica Bay (Bay). One key requirement is investing in infrastructure that captures or infiltrates runoff before it discharges to the Pacific Ocean. The City of Santa Monica has successfully implemented several large-scale urban runoff capture projects that mitigate runoff and pollutants entering the Bay. However, future projects would be required to demonstrate how they would keep the City in compliance with State and federal permits. Staff seeks a consultant to identify and study three potential watershed infrastructure projects that would capture urban runoff and pollutants and support the health of the Bay. Staff recommends Craftwater Engineering, Inc. (Craftwater) to 2 of 5
provide technical engineering services for these projects for an amount not to exceed $302,300.
Discussion
In response to the requirements set forth in federal and State permits, the City has implemented many projects that contribute toward capturing urban runoff and reducing pollutants entering the Bay, including:
• Clean Beaches Initiative (CBI) – 1.6 million gallon stormwater harvesting tank; • Los Amigos Park Retrofit – 53,000-gallon stormwater harvesting tank and treatment system;
• Marine Park Retrofit – piping and pumping system using treated runoff from the City of Los Angeles for irrigation at Marine Park;
• Storm Drain Catch Basin Connector Pipe Screens – over 650 connector pipe and catch basin screens which prevent trash from entering storm drains; and • Sustainable Water Master Plan (SWIP) – 1.5-million-gallon stormwater harvesting tank and water treatment system (scheduled for completion in 2023).
The permits also require additional projects that capture runoff and mitigate pollutants in order to remain in compliance. The proposed engineering services would focus on assessing three potential projects that would help the City remain in compliance:
Pico-Kenter Outfall Trash Reduction
Although the City has achieved compliance with the debris (trash) requirement for the watershed by completing the Storm Drain Catch Basin Connector Pipe Screens project, staff seeks to further mitigate debris that continues to be observed near the outfall on the beach following rain events.
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Kenter Canyon Storm Drain-Sewer Diversion
This project was originally identified as an infiltration or capture project to be located in or near Memorial Park. However, the impacts of building such a system in the park would be significant. This Project would study alternative methods to address the runoff in this area.
Green Streets Master Plan
In collaboration with the County of Los Angeles, the Cities of Los Angeles and El Segundo, the City developed an Enhanced Watershed Management Plan (EWMP) as required by the State permit. The EWMP requires that the City develop a Green Streets Master Plan that identifies locations where low-impact development infrastructure can be installed within the public right of way.
The feasibility studies for each project would include: analyses of dry and wet weather runoff volumes; modeled pollutant loads in the runoff; regulatory compliance goals that would be achieved by the Project; overall environmental benefits; regulatory permits required; analysis of the anticipated environmental documents required under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); analysis of potential site constraints; estimated costs for design, construction, permits, and identification of possible grant sources to fund design and construction. Design concept reports would be developed for the most feasible project alternatives.
Vendor Selection
RFP Information
Best Qualified Firm Craftwater Engineering, Inc.
Evaluation Criteria Training/credentials/experience, competence/skill, capacity/ability to perform services promptly, sufficiency of financial/other resources, character/reputation, ability to provide future services as needed and price.
Municipal Code SMMC 2.24.190
RFPs Received
Craftwater
Engineering, Inc.
Stantec Consulting
Services, Inc.
Kimley-Horn &
Associates, Inc.
Fuscoe Engineering,
Inc.
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RFP Data
Posted On Posted On
Number of Vendors
Downloaded
Number of
Submittals
Received
Date Publicly
Opened
9/2/2021 City’s Online
Bidding Site 38 4 10/27/2021
Justification to Award
Four firms submitted a proposal for technical engineering services. Based on the selection criteria set forth in SMMC 2.24.190, staff recommends Craftwater as the best qualified firm to provide technical engineering services based on its qualifications, price, and directly related watershed compliance experience providing similar services for other municipal agencies. Craftwater is currently working on similar studies for the cities of Monrovia and Pasadena. Additionally, Craftwater’s proposed project staff worked were part of the team that developed the Central Santa Monica Bay EWMP.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve funding from the Clean Beaches & Ocean Parcel Tax Fund to award a contract to Craftwater Engineering, Inc. to provide technical engineering services, develop feasibility studies, and prepare design concept reports.
Funds are available in the FY 2022-23 Capital Improvement Program Budget for this project.
Professional Services Agreement Request
FY2022-23 Request Amount CIP Account # Total Contract Amount $302,300 C1608450.689000 $302,300
Prepared By: Curtis Castle, Principal Civil Engineer
Approved Forwarded to Council
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Attachments:
A. Oaks_Craftwater_Signed