11.13 AUTHORITY OF CONTRACTOR. The Contractor hereby represents and warrants to the City that the Contractor has the right, power, legal capacity, and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, and its execution of this Agreement has been duly authorized.
11.14 ARBITRATION OF DISPUTES. Any dispute for under $25,000 arising out of or relating to the negotiation, construction, performance, non-performance, breach, or any other aspect of this Agreement, shall be settled by binding arbitration in accordance with the Commercial Rules of the American Arbitration Association at Los Angeles, California and judgment upon the award rendered by the Arbitrators may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. The City does not waive its right to object to the timeliness or sufficiency of any claim filed or required to be filed against the City and reserves the right to conduct full discovery.
11.15 NOTICES. Any notice or demand to be given by one party to the other must be given in writing and by personal delivery or prepaid first-class, registered or certified mail, addressed as follows. Notice simply to the City of Vernon or any other City department is not adequate notice.
If to the City:
City of Vernon
Attention: Todd Dusenberry, General Manager
4305 Santa Fe Avenue
Vernon, CA 90058
If to the Contractor:
InfraTerra, Inc.
Attention: Ahmed Nisar, PE, President
5 Third Street, Suite 420
San Francisco, CA 94103
Any such notice shall be deemed to have been given upon delivery, if personally delivered, or, if mailed, upon receipt, or upon expiration of three (3) business days from the date of posting, whichever is earlier. Either party may change the address at which it desires to receive notice upon giving written notice of such request to the other party.
11.16 NO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS. This Agreement is entered into for the sole benefit of City and Contractor and no other parties are intended to be direct or incidental beneficiaries of this Agreement and no third party shall have any right or remedy in, under, or to this Agreement.
11.17 TERMINATION FOR CONVENIENCE (Without Cause). City may ..
Item 12 Page 11 of 64
terminate this Agreement in whole or in part at any time, for any cause or without cause, upon fifteen (15) calendar days' written notice to Contractor. If the Agreement is thus terminated by City for reasons other than Contractor's failure to perform its obligations, City shall pay Contractor a prorated amount based on the services satisfactorily completed and accepted prior to the effective date of termination. Such payment shall be Contractor's exclusive remedy for termination without cause.
11.18 DEFAULT. In the event either party materially defaults in its obligations hereunder, the other party may declare a default and terminate this Agreement by written notice to the defaulting party. The notice shall specify the basis for the default. The Agreement shall terminate unless such default is cured before the effective date of termination stated in such notice, which date shall be no sooner than ten (10) days after the date of the notice. In case of default by Contractor, the City reserves the right to procure the goods or services from other sources and to hold the Contractor responsible for any excess costs occasioned to the City thereby. Contractor shall not be held accountable for additional costs incurred due to delay or default as a result of Force Majeure. Contractor must notify the City immediately upon knowing that non-performance or delay will apply to this Agreement as a result of Force Majeure. At that time Contractor is to submit in writing a Recovery Plan for this Agreement. If the Recovery Plan is not acceptable to the City or not received within 10 days of the necessary notification of Force Majeure default, then the City may cancel this order in its entirety at no cost to the City, owing only for goods and services completed to that point.
11.19 TERMINATION FOR CAUSE. Termination for cause shall relieve the terminating party of further liability or responsibility under this Agreement, including the payment of money, except for payment for services satisfactorily and timely performed prior to the service of the notice of termination, and except for reimbursement of (1) any payments made by the City for service not subsequently performed in a timely and satisfactory manner, and (2) costs incurred by the City in obtaining substitute performance. If this Agreement is terminated as provided herein, City may require, at no additional cost to City, that Contractor provide all finished or unfinished documents, data, and other information of any kind prepared by Contractor in connection with the performance of Services under this Agreement. Contractor shall be required to provide such document and other information within fifteen (15) days of the request.
11.19.1 Additional Services. In the event this Agreement is terminated in whole or in part as provided herein, City may procure, upon such terms and in such manner as it may determine appropriate, services similar to those terminated. ..
Item 12 Page 12 of 64
11.20 MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF RECORDS.
The City, or its authorized auditors or representatives, shall have access to and the right to audit and reproduce any of the Contractor's records to the extent the City deems necessary to insure it is receiving all money to which it is entitled under the Agreement and/or is paying only the amounts to which Contractor is properly entitled under the Agreement or for other purposes relating to the Agreement.
The Contractor shall maintain and preserve all such records for a period of at least three (3) years after termination of the Agreement.
The Contractor shall maintain all such records in the City of Vernon. If not, the Contractor shall, upon request, promptly deliver the records to the City of Vernon or reimburse the City for all reasonable and extra costs incurred in conducting the audit at a location other than the City of Vernon, including, but not limited to, such additional (out of the City) expenses for personnel, salaries, private auditors, travel, lodging, meals, and overhead.
11.21 CONFLICT. Contractor hereby represents, warrants, and certifies that no member, officer, or employee of the Contractor is a director, officer, or employee of the City of Vernon, or a member of any of its boards, commissions, or committees, except to the extent permitted by law.
11.22 HEADINGS. Paragraphs and subparagraph headings contained in this Agreement are included solely for convenience and are not intended to modify, explain or to be a full or accurate description of the content thereof and shall not in any way affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
11.23ENFORCEMENT OF WAGE AND HOUR LAWS. Eight hours labor constitutes a legal day's work. The Contractor, or subcontractor, if any, shall forfeit twenty-five dollars ($25) for each worker employed in the execution of this Agreement by the respective Contractor or subcontractor for each calendar day during which the worker is required or permitted to work more than 8 hours in any one calendar day and 40 hours in any one calendar week in violation of the provisions of Sections 1810 through 1815 of the California Labor Code as a penalty paid to the City; provided, however, work performed by employees of contractors in excess of 8 hours per day, and 40 hours during any one week, shall be permitted upon compensation for all hours worked in excess of 8 hours per day at not less than 1½ times the basic rate of pay.
11.24 EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY PRACTICES. Contractor certifies and represents that, during the performance of this Agreement, it and any other parties with whom it may subcontract shall adhere to equal employment opportunity practices to assure ..
Item 12 Page 13 of 64
that applicants, employees and recipients of service are treated equally and are not discriminated against because of their race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, sex, age, medical condition, sexual orientation or marital status. Contractor further certifies that it will not maintain any segregated facilities. Contractor further agrees to comply with The Equal Employment Opportunity Practices provisions as set forth in Exhibit “C”. [Signatures Begin on Next Page].
..
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Agreement as of the Commencement Date stated on the cover page.
City of Vernon, a California charter City
and California municipal corporation
By: ____________________________
Brian Saeki, City Administrator
InfraTerra, Inc., a California corporation
By:
Name:
Title:
ATTEST:
_______________________________
Yonnie Parker, Deputy City Clerk
By:
Name:
Title:
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_______________________________
Zaynah N. Moussa,City Attorney
Christopher Hitchcock
Chief Financial Officer
..
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EXHIBIT A
CONTRACTOR'S PROPOSAL
..
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20 25
MARCH 10
CITY OF VERNON
CALIFORNIA
Proposal
InfraTerra
PREPARED BY
InfraTerra, Inc.
Water System
Seismic Vulnerability
Assessment
..
Item 12 Page 17 of 64
InfraTerra, Inc.
5 Third Street, Suite 420
San Francisco, CA 94103
www.infratrerra.com
Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0 City of Vernon March 10, 2025
Attention: Rhonda Aho, Assistant Civil Engineer
Via email: [email protected]
Dear Ms. Aho:
Proposal
Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment
City of Vernon
InfraTerra, Inc. (InfraTerra) is pleased to submit this proposal to perform the City of Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment. This proposal is prepared in response to the request for proposal (RFP), issued February 18, 2025. InfraTerra will be supported by Greenfield Geotechnical and Hattin Construction Management, Inc. (HCM) as subconsultants. This proposal is valid for a period of ninety days from the date of this submittal. Pursuant to Vernon Manipal Code Section 3.32.090, our cost estimate to perform this work has been submitted in a sealed price bid.
InfraTerra specializes in seismic assessment of water infrastructure and development of mitigation solutions to improve resiliency. We have a multidisciplinary staff with capabilities in structural engineering, earthquake engineering, geotechnical engineering, and geology required for seismic assessment of geographically distributed water/wastewater and energy infrastructure.
We have performed evaluations of over 30 water systems on the West Coast including Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, San Diego County Water Authority, Sonoma Water, City of Portland Water Bureau, Seattle Public Utilities, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, and the City of Sunnyvale located in the heart of the Silicon Valley. As part of these studies, we have performed assessments of hundreds of water tanks, thousands of miles of buried pipelines, groundwater wells, and pump stations.
Our experience with tanks includes ground supported, elevated, and buried reservoirs. For the assessments, our capabilities range from simplified calculations to nonlinear finite element analysis using the appropriate ACI, API, and AWWA codes.
The contact person for this proposal is Ahmed Nisar, PE. As President of InfraTerra, Mr. Nisar is authorized to contractually bind InfraTerra. He can be contacted via email at [email protected], telephone at (510) 684-6306 or mail at 5 Third Street, Suite 420, San Francisco, CA 94103.
We appreciate the opportunity to provide our services to the City of Vernon for this very important project to mitigate potential seismic vulnerabilities so that the city continues to provide clean and safe water for the businesses and community.
Very truly yours, INFRATERRA, INC.
Ahmed Nisar, P.E.
President
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INTRODUCTION
1 Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0
GENERAL SCOPE OF WORK
InfraTerra, Inc. (InfraTerra) is pleased to submit our proposal to the City of Vernon(City) to provide engineering for the seismic vulnerability assessment of the City’s water infrastructure. This proposal is prepared in response to the request for proposal (RFP), issued February 18, 2025.
PROJECT UNDERSTANDING
The City of Vernon, located approximately five miles from Los Angeles, is an industrial city that serves more than 1,800 businesses and 250 residents. The city is located in a high seismic hazard with several major earthquake faults in its vicinity. A reliable water supply is critical to the economy of the region and the safety and economic wellbeing of close to 50,000 people employed by these industries.
The goal of this study is to perform an evaluation of the city’s water infrastructure components and identify their seismic vulnerabilities. Based on the identified vulnerabilities, develop mitigation solutions that include seismic retrofit recommendations, post-earthquake repair, and operational modifications to make the water system more resilient to earthquakes.
The work will be performed to meet the latest applicable codes and standards and the results presented in a detailed draft and final report that includes evaluation methodology, results of vulnerability assessment, and recommendations for seismic retrofit or no retrofit as appropriate. A prioritized list of projects and associated mitigation or replacement cost estimates will be provided. The results of this study will be used to support future Capital Improvement Planning.
PROJECT APPROACH
The seismic response of water systems is complex because of their geographically distributed nature. A water system consists of both linear and site components, ranging from buried pipelines that cross multiple zones of earthquake hazard to above and underground tanks, and pump stations that may be exposed to failure of the underlying soil during strong ground shaking. Each of these components respond differently to a given hazard and are typically built incrementally over many years under evolving design standards. As a result, various parts of the system are subjected to different hazards and risk levels, such as spatial variations and incoherency of earthquake ground motions, transient and permanent ground deformations (TGD and PGD), earthquake triggered liquefaction and slope failure, and site geotechnical conditions.
InfraTerra’s approach to a seismic resiliency study is to incorporate the vulnerability of system components, the criticality and functionality of each component, and the overall system response to earthquake loading. Key steps involved in this process include: • Data collection and review: It includes design drawings, operations and maintenance records, pipeline data in geographical information system (GIS), available geotechnical data, and published information on seismic hazards such as faults, earthquake shaking, liquefaction, and slope stability.
• Site reconnaissance: Site visit at each facility is performed by senior structural engineers and geologists to document as-built conditions, vulnerabilities, and hazards such as unstable slopes or settlement. We use non-destructive methods such as an ultrasonic device to measure tank shell thickness and a rebar locator for concrete structures. ..
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INTRODUCTION
2 Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0 • Seismic hazard analysis: Use information from sources such as United States Geological Survey (USGS) and California Geologic Survey (CGS) to develop hazards maps including earthquake shaking, liquefaction, landslides, and surface faulting. • Structural vulnerability assessment: The effort ranges from simplified hand calculations to detailed finite element analysis. The assessments are performed using the latest codes and standards.
• Develop mitigation strategies and recommendation: Develop retrofit strategies for strengthening and provide recommendations such as material stockpiles for post-earthquake repair, isolation and bypass as operational solutions, and emergency response planning. A prioritized list of recommendations along with planning level costs is presented in a detailed report.
CAPABILITIES
InfraTerra has extensive experience in performing
seismic assessment of water infrastructure. Our
staff has performed such studies for numerous
water systems (Table 1). Since our founding in
2011, we have successfully completed seismic
resiliency projects for over 30 major water industry
clients. Our clients range from large utilities to small and mid-size municipalities such as the San
Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), City
of Portland Water Bureau (PWB), Seattle Public
Utilities (SPU), Sonoma Water, Elsinore Valley
Water District, City of Petaluma, and City of
Sunnyvale. The latter is located in the heart of
Silicon Valley and, similar to the City of Vernon,
supplies water to major industries in the region. For
these projects, we have demonstrated our ability to
deliver quality on schedule and within budget.
Seismic assessment of large geographically
distributed water systems requires specialized
expertise in a range of technical disciplines. Our
team, with its breadth of experience on multiple
similar projects, have the insight and understanding
of the various technical disciplines required for this
study. We have successfully employed our
multidisciplinary expertise on water system seismic
reliability projects with both in-house capabilities
and partnership with subconsultants for completing
seismic reliability projects.
We have supported our clients with FEMA grant applications, including helping Sonoma Water obtain close to $10 million in funding.
• Table 1: Team’s Water/Wastewater Seismic Experience
Entity
Treatment Fac.TanksWellsPipelinesPump StationsDamsHazard Mapping Sonoma County Water Agency, CA
•••••••
Marin Municipal Water District, CA
• • • •
North Marin Water District, CA
•
City of Sunnyvale, CA •
• • • •
City of Petaluma, CA
•••••
San Diego County Water Authority, CA
••
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, CA •
• • • •
Contra Costa Water District, CA • •
• •
East Bay Municipal Utility District, CA
••
Portland Water Bureau, OR
•••••
Seattle Public Utilities, WA
••
Pacific Gas & Electric Company, CA
•• •
City of Hayward, CA •
• •
Elsinore Municipal Valley Water District, CA • •
•• • •
California Water Service Company, CA
••
City of Salem, OR
••••
Metropolitan Wastewater Management Comm.
•••
Water Environment Services, Clackamas Co., OR
•
City of Eugene, OR
•
City of Tacoma, WA
•
City of Mercer Island, WA
•••••
California Department of Water Resources, CA
••••••
City of Pacifica, CA
•
Southern California Water Company, CA
•
US Army Corps of Engineers
•
Monterey Reg. Water Pollution Ctrl. Agency, CA
••
City of Berkeley, CA
•
City of Makkah, Saudi Arabia
•
Orange County Sanitation District, CA
•••
Santa Clara Valley Water District, CA
••
Roy Water Conservancy District, Roy, UT
•••
Southern California Edison, CA
•
Tualatin Valley Water District, OR
•
City of Forest Grove, OR
•••••
..
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GENERAL SCOPE OF WORK
3 Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0
GENERAL SCOPE OF WORK
The majority of the City of Vernon’s water system is supplied by three booster plants. Booster Plant 1 (BP1) with one 10 million gallon (MG) underground concrete reservoir, two wells, and five booster pumps. Booster Plant 2 (BP2) and Booster Plant 3 (BP3) each with three 1 MG above ground steel reservoirs and two wells. BP2 has five and BP3 has four booster pumps. The water system also includes a 600,000-gallon elevated tank near the L.A. River and four additional wells. The City of Vernon has a connection with the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) for imported water that is used on an as- needed basis. The approximate locations of the water system facilities are shown in Figure 1 (left).
The City of Vernon is located in an area of high seismic hazard due to its proximity to many active faults, including the Compton, Puente Hills, Elysian Park, and Newport-Inglewood faults (Figure 1, right). The 2014 Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities estimates a 46% probability of a M7.0 or greater earthquake affecting the Los Angeles region in the next 30 years (UCERF3, Field et al, 2015).
Anticipated peak ground acceleration (PGA) in the city ranges from about 0.5g to 0.9g for the 475- and 2,475-year return periods (USGS, 2023). Mapping by CGS shows that the southeastern portion of the city, where BP3 is located, is in a liquefaction hazard zone (Figure 1, left). BP1, BP2 and the elevated tank are located outside of the CGS hazard zone. However, due to their proximity to the L.A. River, lateral spread from liquefaction may be a hazard. Alternatively, since the river is concrete-lined, the overall hazard may be low.
The general scope of work for this project includes characterizing strong ground shaking and estimating permanent ground deformation (PGD) from liquefaction. Fault rupture is not thought to be a significant hazard based on work by CGS as the water system is outside the official Alquist-Priolo fault rupture hazard zones; however, InfraTerra will review the potential for surface faulting. Structural/seismic assessments of the City’s water facilities will be performed to identify seismic vulnerabilities and develop seismic retrofit recommendations. A detailed work plan is presented in the following section.
Figure 1: Geology, Liquefaction, and Local faults (Left; CGS and USGS) and Regional Faults (Right; USGS) ..
Item 12 Page 21 of 64
WORK PLAN
4 Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0 Our proposed tasks for this study are outlined below.
TASK 1: PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION
InfraTerra’s Senior Engineer, Dr. Vladmir Calugaru (PE) will be the Project Manager. He has demonstrated experience managing technically complex projects. He will be responsible for coordination and communication with the city staff, preparation of monthly invoices, project progress reports, schedule and budget control. In addition to project management activities, he will also serve as the technical lead for this work. In this capacity, he will provide general consultation related to various technical aspects of the project. With 15 years of providing seismic resilience services for the water industry, he is well suited in this dual role. He will work closely with Mr. Ahmed Nisar, project Principal- in-Charge with over 36 years of experience in water system seismic assessments.
Dr. Calugaru will prepare and maintain the
project schedule. He will perform timely
updates to the city on the progress of the
work, schedule, and budget spent. He
recognizes that seismic studies for water
infrastructure require an understanding of both the stated goals and unstated drivers such as public and stakeholder concerns. For the Portland Water Bureau(PWB) project, InfraTerra worked with 25 internal and external stakeholders and delivered a successful project; and for Sonoma Water’s NHRA study,we worked with senior managers in engineering, planning, operations, maintenance, and environmental divisions and presented major conclusions of the study to Sonoma Water’s contractors.
InfraTerra will schedule and conduct a Kick-off Meeting within two weeks after contract execution. The main objectives of the Kick-off Meeting are to introduce the InfraTerra team to the city’s Project Manager and key stakeholders, and to confirm project timeline and deliverables. During the meeting, we will also identify the key data and coordination requirements for completing the project.
In addition to the kick-off meeting, we will meet with the city on a regular basis. For planning purposes, we have assumed monthly teleconference calls with the city’s project manager to report on the project progress, the status of site visits and assessments, and address any challenges encountered in the performance of our work. In addition to the planned meeting, InfraTerra will have frequent communications with the city’s project manager to discuss project progress.
TASK 2: SITE RECONNAISSANCE AND DATA COLLECTION
InfraTerra will develop an optimal site visit schedule in conjunction with the availability of the city’s staff.
We will conduct on-site inspections of all structures in the project scope. The main purpose of the site visits is to assess the current conditions of the structures, noting of any damage or structural degradation, and obtain measurements as needed for our assessment. Access to facility interiors and permission to take conventional and ultrasonic measurements is requested. During the site visit we will make observations and document the anchorage status of critical nonstructural components that can impact life safety and operations.
Field reconnaissance is a cost-effective method for providing additional characterization of the broad study area. The site visits will be performed by our licensed engineers and engineering geologists at the reservoirs, wells, pump stations, and at select locations to help fill data gaps in liquefaction hazard mapping. We will collect data site reconnaissance data on electronic data collection forms to facilitate Example
Monthly Schedule Updates Example
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WORK PLAN
5 Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0 an efficient collection of data. Field observations and site photographs will be collected on GPS-enabled tablets using base maps developed from LiDAR and aerial imagery. During the site visits, our team will also collect data and interpret topographic, geologic, and groundwater conditions at each site. Geologic and topographic conditions that may impact pipeline vulnerability will also be documented.
For the water tanks, our team will collect data to
confirm existing data, obtain missing data where
possible such as plate thickness or subsurface
conditions, and note any site constraints which may
impact potential mitigation options. For steel tanks,
we also use a handheld ultrasonic testing device to
measure shell thickness.
An important aspect of tank assessment is the inlet/
outlet piping connection to the tank. Side
penetration overconstrained connections and
bottom penetration connections (if they are near the edge of the tank) are vulnerable especially for unanchored tanks and have failed in past earthquakes resulting in loss of water. In addition, inlet/outlet pipelines between the tank and the main transmission line can also be vulnerable and are sometimes overlooked in a typical seismic assessment study.
For wells and pump stations, the site visit will focus on observing general as-built conditions and identifying any apparent seismic vulnerabilities, such as vulnerable piping connections, cracking of concrete, vulnerable details such as roof-to-wall connections, signs of distress, and mass and stiffness irregularities. If available, a review of available structural drawings will be performed. During the site visit, we will also note seismic vulnerabilities, such as unanchored mechanical and electrical equipment.
Damage to unanchored motor control cabinets (MCC) and programmable logic controller cabinets (PLC) has been common in past earthquakes.
An important aspect of the seismic resiliency study is to develop an understanding of water system operations, critical elements of the system, and known problems and issues so that the mitigation recommendations are both practical and have a buy-in from internal and external stakeholders. It has been our experience that water system operators, maintenance and engineering staff who work with the system on a day-to-day basis have insights that can help tremendously with the overall seismic reliability study. As part of this task, we will meet with city staff who are knowledgeable about water system operation and maintenance.
TASK 3: SEISMIC HAZARD ANALYSIS
InfraTerra will develop detailed seismic hazard maps for the City of Vernon’s service area. The general methodology for ground shaking estimates includes probabilistic or scenario-based (deterministic) analyses. The probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) procedure considers all known potentially active seismic sources and uncertainty in the location and magnitude of an earthquake and the seismic activity rate on each earthquake source. The City of Vernon’s water system is located in an area of high seismic hazard with the seismic hazard primarily controlled by the active Compton thrust and Puente Hills faults (Figure 1). At least six M7.0-7.4 earthquakes have occurred on the Compton fault during the Holocene (in the last 11,700 years), with the most recent being approximately 700-1,750 years ago (Leon et al., 2009). The Santa Fe Springs segment of the Puente Hills fault is considered to be the source Site reconnaissance of steel water tanks for the City of Petaluma
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WORK PLAN
6 Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0 of the 1987 M5.9 Whittier Narrows earthquake, which caused an estimated $358 million in property damages in the East L.A. area (Shaw et al., 2002). For this study, we will utilize both the probabilistic and deterministic (scenario-based) methodologies to calculate ground shaking hazard for the project area.
We will use the latest USGS National Seismic Hazard Maps for probabilistic and scenario earthquakes.
Key ground motion parameters for water system seismic studies include peak ground acceleration (PGA), peak ground velocity (PGV), and Spectral Acceleration. PGA is used for the evaluation of liquefaction hazard and permanent ground deformation (PGD); PGV is used for the assessment of transient ground strains required for the assessment of pipeline vulnerability; spectral accelerations are used for the seismic assessment of above ground structures including sloshing effects in tanks.
InfraTerra will prepare GIS maps of these ground motion parameters across the City’s service area.
As shown in Figure 1, active faults (faults with activity within the last 11,00 years) do not appear to cross the City’s system; however, the inferred map trace of the Lower Elysian fault cuts across the water system and through BP2. Originally thought to be the source of the 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake, the Lower Elysian fault is capable of generating a similar size earthquake. However, similar to the Wittier Narrows event, movement on the fault likely would occur at depth and not be associated with surface ground rupture. InfraTerra has extensive experience in fault investigation studies including geomorphic mapping and fault trenching to characterize fault location and activity. We will use published information on the faults that directly impact the water system. During our site reconnaissance our senior geologist will observe both regional and local geologic, topographic, and manmade features to assess if the fault strands appear to be active or potentially active.
TASK 4: LIQUEFACTION ASSESSMENT
Liquefaction susceptibility of soils in the study area will be assessed using latest analysis procedures (Boulanger and Idriss, 2014). This methodology incorporates refinements to liquefaction analysis procedures by including high-quality liquefaction case histories from recent earthquakes in New Zealand (2010-2011 CES) and Japan (2011 M
w 9.0 Tohoku).
The project area is covered by the CGS Seismic Hazard Zone (SHZ) Reports for the Los Angeles and South Gate quadrangles. The SHZ maps shows areas underlain by materials susceptible to liquefaction; however, they do not quantify the expected amount of PGD (ground settlement and lateral spread) required for structural assessment of pipelines and above ground facilities. Pipelines are particularly sensitive to the amount and direction of deformation due to liquefaction. While regional methods (such as HAZUS®) are available to estimate PGD from liquefaction, they include significant uncertainty and can be overly conservative. InfraTerra staff are experts in accurate and cost-effective GIS-based estimation of liquefaction-related PGD utilizing detailed knowledge of subsurface soil conditions.
Figure 1 shows that there is a significant amount of geotechnical boring data available for the study area. We will utilize this information to perform project-specific liquefaction analysis using state-of-the- art algorithms to estimate PGD. These algorithms, developed by InfraTerra’s project team, include a range of uncertainty parameters to fully capture the liquefaction and lateral spread hazard to pipelines.
Our approach was successfully applied to the PWB project and was reviewed and vetted by leading experts (Dr. Steve Kramer of the University of Washington and Dr. Tom O’Rourke of Cornell University), Hitchcock reviewing fault trench
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WORK PLAN
7 Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0 the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI), and more than 20 PWB stakeholders.
We recently employed this approach for the San Francisco Bay Area for a major California utility company. The study utilized 140,000 geotechnical borings and Cone Penetrometer Tests (CPT) as well as 16,000 water wells. We also used this approach for the recently completed seismic vulnerability study for the City of Sunnyvale’s water system. Located in the heart of the Silicon Valley, the City of Sunnyvale, similar to the City of Vernon,
supplies water to major
industries in the area. The
results of our study for the City
of Sunnyvale led to a
substantial improvement in
understanding and
quantification of the
liquefaction hazards and a
reduction in the seismic
vulnerability of Sunnyvale’s
pipeline network compared to
past studies that utilized
regional maps. A clipped
example comparison between
publicly available regional
mapping and InfraTerra’s
liquefaction study is shown in
Figure 2 for a PGA of 0.40g in
the southern Bay Area.
As part of the data collection task, we will obtain publicly available geotechnical and well log data in the vicinity of the project area to calculate liquefaction-induced PGD for the study area. LiDAR data will be obtained to identify free faces and ground slope needed to quantify the lateral spreading hazard. We have successfully employed this methodology in assessing liquefaction hazards in other seismic vulnerability projects for our water clients including the City of Forest Grove, the City of Sunnyvale, the Seattle Public Utilities and PWB. The deliverable for this task will include PGA, PGV and liquefaction- induced PGD maps for the study area.
TASK 5: STRUCTURAL VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT
Pipeline (Mains) Assessment: One of the most important tasks for the seismic assessment of a water system is the definition of a backbone system. The backbone system identifies a network of pipelines within the water system that can transfer water to key distribution points within the service area for emergency response, while damage to the larger (non-backbone) system is being addressed. InfraTerra has extensive experience working with owners and key stakeholders to identify a pipeline backbone network. In the identification of the backbone, we will pay attention to key distribution points such as hospitals, schools and other sites identified by the city as key emergency response locations.
Seismic response of buried pipelines depends on complex interactions between pipelines and adjacent soil and is especially challenging because of their geographically distributed nature. While some damage Figure 2: Comparison of regional liquefaction susceptibility mapping by Witter et al., (2006) (left) and recently completed InfraTerra liquefaction study (right). ..
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WORK PLAN
8 Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0 can occur to pipelines from TGD resulting from seismic wave propagation, the predominant cause of damage is from PGD. Typical sources of PGD include liquefaction-induced lateral spread and settlement, fault rupture, and seismically triggered landslides. Damage rates from PGD are an order of magnitude higher than TGD. For the City of Vernon, liquefaction-induced settlement and lateral spread are the main sources of PGD.
InfraTerra’s approach for vulnerability assessment of pipelines considers pipeline construction and joint types. Using the available information, City of Vernon’s pipelines will be divided into two broad groups.
The first includes pipeline locations where the likelihood of damage is very high and localized such as river or creek crossings, lateral spread zones, and fault crossings. The second group includes random damage that could occur anywhere along the pipeline with a higher likelihood of damage in mapped zones of high hazard.
The seismic assessment of pipelines will be performed by overlying the city’s water system network on maps of expected PGV and PGD maps developed in Task 3 and Task 4. It has been our experience that in many cases, regional maps might show high hazard; however, the actual hazard to the pipeline may be low due to local conditions. For example, for a creek or river crossing the pipeline may be located below the lateral spread zone or there might be localized ground improvement at the crossing location. For the city’s pipeline network, we will estimate expected pipeline repair rates (breaks and leaks) using appropriate pipeline fragilities for both permanent and transient ground deformation using different methods including those by ALA, 2001, and the more recent O’Rourke, 2020.
Tanks: InfraTerra has extensive experience in seismic analysis of ground supported and elevated tanks as well as buried and partially buried reservoirs. We have performed seismic analysis of several hundred tanks and reservoirs ranging from small 1,000 gallon to as large as 260 MG reservoirs. Our analytical approach for tank analysis ranges from simplified calculations to non-linear finite element analyses with consideration to soil-structure interaction effects.
Seismic assessment of the City’s tanks will be performed by computing PGA and spectral acceleration at each tank site for the identified scenario earthquakes and probabilistic estimates of ground shaking as required by the current codes. Site-specific ground motion response spectra will be developed at each tank site utilizing the most recent ground motion models with consideration to site-specific subsurface data. The spectra will be used to evaluate the tank response including sloshing effects.
InfraTerra has in-house Excel spreadsheets for simplified analysis of above ground tanks using the American Water Works Association’s (AWWA) D100-21 standard. A preliminary seismic assessment of tanks can be performed for multiple earthquake levels without extensive effort and is well within the scope of this project. Other significant vulnerabilities for the tanks include lack of flexibility in piping connections. For bottom penetration piping connections, distance from the edge of the tank is also important. During the site reconnaissance, we will prepare photographic documentation of overconstrained piping connection. Additional information would be obtained from tank drawings, if available. Seismic performance of buried reservoirs is primarily governed by permanent ground deformations from seismic/geologic hazard at the site. For this study, the 10 MG buried reservoir will be evaluated following the American Concrete Institute’s standards ACI 350.3 and 318-22. We have performed seismic assessment of buried tanks for multiple clients including PWB and SPU.
For the City of Vernon’s elevated tank, we will develop a detailed finite element model of the tank to capture its dynamic response. The analysis will be performed as per the requirements of the latest ..
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WORK PLAN
9 Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0 codes and standards. The analysis will consider inertial and sloshing response of water in the tank and compute bending moment, shear, and axial forces in the structural members of the supporting tower and its foundation. The analysis approach and results will be documented in a separate technical memorandum, which will be included as an appendix to the final report. InfraTerra has performed analysis of 18 elevated tanks, as much as 100 feet tall, for the California Water Services Company.
Pump Stations: InfraTerra has substantial experience with seismic assessment of pump stations. For our system seismic study for PWB, we used Hazus for the assessment for 36 pump stations. Hazus is a nationally applicable standardized methodology developed by the FEMA for estimating potential losses from earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes. We also employed similar methodologies for recent studies for the cities of Snnyvale and Petaluma.
For the City of Vernon, we will develop site-specific ground motion spectra for each pump station site utilizing the most recent ground motion models and available subsurface data. Site visits will be performed at each pump station to review existing conditions and obvious structural/seismic vulnerabilities such as discontinuity in load path, vertical and plan irregularities, and signs of structural deterioration and settlement. We will use rebar locator to confirm rebar spacing as shown in drawings.
American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) 41-23 Tier 1 methodology will be used to perform a structural assessment of each pump station using site-specific ground motions. Assessment of nonstructural components including pumps, MCCs and PLCs will utilize the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) P-58.
For facilities identified as noncompliant based on Tier 1 checklists, we will perform Tier 2 analysis. In our experience, it is unlikely that a Tier 3 analysis, which is generally required for complex multi-story buildings, will be needed for the pump stations.
Wells: Strong ground shaking from an earthquake could cause fluctuation of the ground water level, short term transitory turbidity in well water, and fines intrusion and blockage of well screens. In addition, liquefaction-induced PGD can result in damage to well casings and misalignment of well heads.
Our current projects for the cities of Sunnyvale and Petaluma included an assessment of several wells.
For the PWB project, we performed an assessment of 27 wells located in the City of Portland’s Columbia Southshore Wellfield. With 95 mgd capacity, it is the second largest water source in the State of Oregon.
Seismic vulnerability of wells will be assessed by reviewing the available well details and hisorical data.
An assessment will be performed based on the estimated levels of shaking and liquefaction hazard. If the wells or well controls are housed in a building structure, we will adopt the same approach as for the assessment of pump stations, utilizing ASCE 41-23 Tier 1 methodology for the strucure and FEMA P-58 for nonstructural componets.
TASK 6: MITIGATION STRATEGIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS
We will use our understanding of critical vulnerabilities of water systems that, if mitigated, will result in substantial improvement in post-earthquake system reliability. Due to our past experience, our team has an appreciation of various stakeholder (both internal and external) concerns. Our proposed approach for developing system upgrade recommendations incorporates multiple discussions with the City’s key stakeholders throughout the course of the project.
Based on InfraTerra’s extensive project experience, we have developed mitigation measures and cost estimates for all aspects of water systems, including pipelines, tanks, pump stations, and wells. We have ..
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WORK PLAN
10 Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0 developed recommendations for a range of pipeline materials and construction techniques in seismically vulnerable environments including river crossings, fault crossings, pipelines through areas of slope instability, and liquefiable soils.
Mitigation solutions range from pre-earthquake strengthening, post-earthquake repair, emergency planning, and operational modifications to bypass damage and lessen the negative impact to system performance. Examples of pre-event strengthening include pipeline replacement using earthquake resistant pipe or localized joint strengthening such as butt straps or expansion joints. In some cases, we have developed recommendations for additional geotechnical investigations to constrain various geo- hazards that could not be easily quantified. For post-earthquake repair we have developed recommendations for the type and approximate quantity of stockpile material such as sticks of pipeline, temporary bypass hose, valves, and clamps. We work with our clients to develop operational considerations such as isolation and bypass and emergency response planning.
For tanks, pre-event strengthening recommendations could include foundation retrofit, providing anchorage, roof retrofit, and adding flexibility to over-constrained pipe connections or operational solutions such as reducing fill height, if possible. Mitigation measures for pump stations would address potential structural, nonstructural, and operational vulnerabilities. For wells, mitigation measures would likely be limited to ground improvement or relocation but may include upgrades of the well pumps and piping if the seismic vulnerability is from strong ground shaking alone.
Recommendations based on the structural vulnerability assessments performed in Task 5 will be used to develop a prioritized list of Capital Improvement Projects. We will develop planning level cost estimates for facility retrofit options, pipeline replacement, and/or rehabilitation methods.
TASK 6: DRAFT AND FINAL REPORT
Our recommendations will be presented in a draft and final report. The report will describe in detail the methodology used for the assessment and will be supported by appendices and full-size maps. The maps will overlay the water system components including facilities and pipelines on hazard maps such as liquefaction and fault locations to clearly show the facilities in relation to the hazards. The maps will delineate the backbone systems and other critical information such as roads, emergency facilities, and businesses. The report will include a detailed discussion of the results of our assessments including the identified seismic vulnerabilities of the system in its current state and our recommendations. The recommendations will include conceptual seismic retrofit options and planning level cost estimates. A prioritized list of recommendations will be provided that can be used for future capital improvement planning. ..
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ABILITY OF THE PROPOSER TO PERFORM
11 Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0 InfraTerra was established by individuals who have been performing seismic risk studies for water industry clients since 1995. InfraTerra’s principals, while at URS/Dames and Moore, AECOM, Geosyntec and Fugro, launched the company after recognizing the need for seamless integration of multidisciplinary input for buried and above ground water, wastewater, and power infrastructure.
Our team includes multi-disciplinary specialists with experience in the application of geology, seismology, geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, pipeline engineering, risk assessment, and GIS to a geographically distributed water system. Our geology, seismology, engineering, and risk specialists seamlessly integrate hazard, vulnerability, and risk to develop mitigation solutions that are cost effective and practical. With its breadth of experience on multiple similar projects, our team has the insight and understanding of the various technical disciplines required for this study.
Our staff is well versed in the application and understanding of the latest codes and standards as well as the use of sophisticated analytical techniques such as finite element analysis and soil-structure interaction. InfraTerra engineers and consultants included in this proposal have combined experience of more than 100 years who have worked together in an integrated manner for numerous water systems. All senior InfraTerra staff are licensed Professional Civil Engineers and/or Engineering Geologists in California with at least a Master’s degree in their respective fields.
Our proposed organization chart is provided below followed by brief bio-sketches of our proposed staff.
Complete resumes are presented in Appendix B.
V. Calugaru, PhD, PE1 (30%)
Project Manager
C. Hitchcock, CEG
1 (30%)
J. Taing, PE
1 (50%)
J. Goodman, CEG
1 (25%)
Seismic Hazard Analysis
LEGEND 1. InfraTerra, Inc. 2. Greenfield Geotechnical 3. Hattin Construction Note: % is availability for the duration of task allocated to the individual A. Nisar, PE
1 (50%)
V. Calugaru, PhD, PE1
(50%)
J. Taing, PE 1 (50%)
Mitigation Strategies and
Recommendations
A. Nisar, PE1 (10%)
Principal-in-Charge
C. Hitchcock, CEG
1 (30%)
M. Greenfield, PhD, PE
2 (50%)
J. Taing, PE
1 (30%)
Liquefaction Assessment
J. Tai
V. Calugaru, PhD, PE1 (50%)
W. Yen
1 (50%)
J. Taing, PE
1 (25%)
Structural Vulnerability
Assessment
E. Vinuya, PE3 (25%)
Cost Estimation
R. Zeeb
1 (50%)
Graphics
..
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12 Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
Ahmed Nisar, MS, PE, Principal Engineer and founding partner of InfraTerra, will serve as the principal-in-charge and technical lead for this project. He has served in this dual role for most seismic resiliency projects that the firm has undertaken. He has 36 years of experience in structural/earthquake engineering and has been performing seismic studies for water industry clients since 1995. He has been responsible for more than 10 seismic-related projects for water systems in the last five years. He was the principal-in-charge for the water/wastewater system seismic study for the Elsinore Water District and performed evaluations of several hundred structure following the 1994 Northridge Earthquake. He has performed seismic assessments of hundreds of steel and concrete tanks including elevated tanks for CalWater and buried reservoirs for PWB and SPU.
Over his career he has worked with over 30 water/wastewater utilities on a variety of seismic projects including project manager and technical lead for Sonoma Water, PWB, SDCWA, and SPU with fees ranging from $200,000 to over $1M. He has performed seismic assessments of hundreds of miles of transmission and distribution pipelines including specialized design for fault and river crossings. He was the technical lead for design of two 66-inch pipelines fault crossings for SFPUC, 36-inch pipeline fault crossing and 48-inch pipeline river crossing for Sonoma Water. Mr. Nisar is the past chair of American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) Committee F36.30 to develop standards for seismic fragility formulations of water systems. He was a contributing author on “Reliability and Restoration of Water Supply Systems for Fire Suppression and Drinking Following Earthquakes,” a publication of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). He is serving on the ASCE 1 subcommittee for geotechnical analysis and design of nuclear facilities and is a contributing author of ASCE seismic design standard for petrochemical facilities.
Vladimir Calugaru, PhD, PE, Senior Engineer with InfraTerra, has 15 years of experience in earthquake engineering and risk assessment will serve as the project manager and structural assessment lead for the project. He specializes in seismic evaluation, seismic retrofit, and nonlinear time history/finite element analysis of complex structures and infrastructure systems. He is an expert in the application of structural reliability and probabilistic methods and development of pipeline seismic fragilities and failure probabilities. Dr. Calugaru performed seismic assessment of over 2,400 miles of pipelines for seismic response of three 20-mile- long conduits (44- to 66-inch) and analysis of over 60 tanks and reservoirs and 39 pump stations for PWB. He is the project manager for seismic assessment of the City of Petaluma’s water system. He is responsible for seismic assessment of more than 500 buildings in high seismic areas using ASCE 41, FEMA P-58, and ATC-13. Dr. Calugaru performed post-earthquake inspections of numerous buildings following the 2017 Puebla and the 2022 Ferndale earthquakes.
Wen-Yi Yen, MS, Staff Engineer with InfraTerra, has 3 years of research experience and 4 years of consulting experience in earthquake engineering, nonlinear analysis, and building performance assessments. Her past projects focus on finite element analysis of critical infrastructure, soil-structure interaction analysis, fracture mechanics of structural components, performance-based earthquake engineering of tall buildings and probabilistic selections of earthquake ground motions. She is currently working with Mr. Nisar on the seismic assessment of PWB’s large diameter pipelines and performed nonlinear soil-structure interaction ..
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ABILITY OF THE PROPOSER TO PERFORM
13 Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0 analysis of Seattle Public Utilities transmission pipelines and performed seismic assessment of tanks for Sonoma Water, City of Petaluma, and City of Sunnyvale.
GEOLOGICAL/GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
Christopher Hitchcock, PG, CEG, is Principal Engineering Geologist at InfraTerra and will serve as the seismic hazard and liquefaction assessment lead for the project. He has over 30 years of expertise in geologic site characterization and engineering geology. Mr. Hitchcock has been a Principal or co-Principal Investigator on 14 research projects sponsored by the U.S.
Geological Survey’s National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) to evaluate fault rupture and liquefaction hazards including liquefaction zoning studies of the Simi and San Fernando Valleys with the California Geological Survey. He mapped geologic deposits and associated liquefaction hazard covering 23 quadrangles to assess hazard from petroleum pipelines for the County of Ventura Resource Management Agency. Mr. Hitchcock led field investigations, published by the USGS, to evaluate fault rupture hazards to gas and water pipelines and develop mitigation design alternatives following the August 2014 West Napa and July 2019 Ridgecrest earthquakes.
Michael Greenfield, PhD, PE (Washington and Oregon), Principal Engineer with Greenfield Geotechnical, Inc. will provide geotechnical engineering services and will be a subconsultant to InfraTerra. He completed his PhD in Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Washington with research on liquefaction and lateral spreading. His professional practice is focused on evaluating and understanding potential geohazards and designing mitigation measures to reduce hazards to tolerable levels. InfraTerra has worked with Dr. Greenfield on numerous seismic studies for water systems in recent years, including studies for the City of Sunnyvale, PWB, and SPU. For these studies, Dr. Greenfield has developed state-of-the-art algorithms for computation of permanent ground deformation (PGD) from liquefaction, lateral spreading, and coseismic landslide hazards, utilizing hundreds of borings to better understand subsurface conditions on a local level. Dr. Greenfield was also part of the InfraTerra team for a recently completed liquefaction and landslide study for the San Francisco Bay Area for a major California utility company.
Jenny Taing, PE, Senior Engineer with InfraTerra, has 10 years of geological/geotechnical engineering experience, including slope stability assessments, liquefaction evaluations, probabilistic risk assessments, geohazard field reconnaissance, and geotechnical subsurface investigation and characterization. Much of her applied project experience relates to seismic hazard vulnerability evaluation, risk mitigation, and emergency response for geographically distributed infrastructure, including more than 10 seismic-related projects for critical infrastructure in the last five years. Ms. Taing is an expert in the application of process industry techniques to develop probabilistic estimates of pipeline repair times and the use of decision analysis tools for prioritization of seismic mitigation projects. She has extensive experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, including structural engineers, geotechnical engineers, geologists, and cost estimators. She served as project manager for the City of Sunnyvale, Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District and Sonoma Water projects. ..
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14 Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0 Josh Goodman, PG, CEG has over 15 years of experience characterizing and assessing seismic, geotechnical and geologic hazards for critical and large infrastructure projects, including nuclear power plants, water conveyance structures, pipelines (oil, gas and water), electric utility corridors, LNG terminals, well platforms and casings, transportation and treated wastewater tunnels, hazardous waste storage facilities, schools and hospitals, and facility-siting studies. His experience includes the application of neotectonics, structural geology, tectonic geomorphology, and Quaternary stratigraphy to engineering consulting projects in both onshore and offshore environments.
COST ESTIMATING
Emiliano Vinuya, PE, Vice President and Manager of Project Controls at Hattin Construction Management, Inc. (HCM), is a registered Professional Engineer with over 33 years of construction industry experience specializing in project controls, cost estimating, scheduling, inspection, constructability review, and value engineering. Mr. Vinuya has provided cost estimating services on a number of water/wastewater projects and has had a working history with InfraTerra and has worked with Mr. Nisar since early 2000s.
GRAPHICS
Rick Zeeb has over 25 years of cartographic, GIS and graphic design experience. He studied cartography at the University of California at Berkeley and spent 15 years as Graphics Director/Cartographer at William Lettis & Associates/Fugro Consultants, leading a team of highly skilled cartographers and graphic designers in creating maps, figures, technical drawings, and marketing materials. He developed a QA–approved workflow protocol between the Graphics and GIS Departments and was also key in developing server and file system layout and conventions. For Water Agency projects, Rick will be responsible for preparing GIS based maps as needed for seismic analysis.
PROJECT REFERENCES
References for three projects for the seismic evaluation of water systems completed in the last five years are provided below. Brief project descriptions for these and several similar projects are provided in this section.
Project Name Client Client
Contact Client Email Client Phone
Natural Hazard Reliability
Assessment Sonoma Water Kent Gylfe [email protected] (707) 547 -1977
Seismic Engineering Study City of Sunnyvale Eric Evans [email protected] (408) 730-7783 Pipeline Seismic
Vulnerability and Repair
Time Estimates
San Diego County
Water Authority Jim Zhou [email protected] (858) 342
-4232
..
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15 Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0
PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS
MULTIHAZARD RELIABILITY ASSESSMENT (MULTIPLE PROJECTS)
Principal-in-Charge: Ahmed Nisar Key personnel: C. Hitchcock, J. Taing, V. Calugaru, W. Yen, E. Vinuya Client: Sonoma Water Contact: Kent Gylfe, PE; (707) 547-1977, [email protected] Sonoma Water is a wholesale purveyor of water to 9
public entities. Seismic assessment and development
of prioritized mitigation options for water system
components including Ranney wells, 85 miles of
aqueducts, pump stations, water storage tanks,
inflatable dam, two earth dams, chlorination facilities, and the electric power substation were performed
for a range of hazards including liquefaction,
landslide, ground shaking, fire, flood, and debris flow.
Since 2004, InfraTerra’s principals have been
providing seismic services for Sonoma Water’s
system. The work started with a multi-year, multi-
hazard reliability improvement project for the water
system. Since that time, InfraTerra has performed detailed assessments of critical components of the system, seismic design of pipeline fault and river crossings, and
development of Sonoma Water’s local hazard mitigation
plan and supported Sonoma Water in obtaining $10 million in FEMA funding. Vulnerability assessment was performed through site reconnaissance by geologists, geotechnical and structural engineers and nonlinear finite element analysis needed. Geo-hazards assessment included over 50 creek
crossings were assessed to develop a risk-based evaluation of system reliability.
In 2022, InfraTerra completed an update of the Natural Hazard Reliability Assessment, which included detailed analyses of the Ranney wells to assess viable seismic retrofit options, pipeline repair estimates, and probabilisitc system restoration estimates. A fault investigation was performed for the Sonoma Booster Station by trenching the Bennet Valley.
InfraTerra is nearing completion of the Natural Hazard Mitigation Study for Sonoma Water, which includes more detailed seismic evaluations of the tanks, aqueducts, and Ranney wells. For this study, we have completed a reassessment of all of Sonoma Water’s 18 aboveground steel water tanks following the AWWA D100-21 guidelines. Recognizing the criticality of the tanks, we also worked with Sonoma Water to select and analyze seismic loading beyond what is prescibed in the code. A geotechnical investigation consisting of 50 CPTs throughout Sonoma Water’s tranmissions system and regional liqufaction and lateral spreading analyses was performed for the aqueduct system. Aqueduct sections with high vulnerability were identified and mitigation projects to address the liquefaction hazards were developed. Pre-design development to retrofit for the Ranney wells for mitigation of lateral spreading and ground shaking hazards were also developed.
Geohazard mapping for Sonoma Water
..
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16 Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0
SEISMIC VULNERABILITY STUDY
Principal-in-charge: Ahmed Nisar Key personnel: C. Hitchcock, J. Taing, V. Calugaru Client: Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District Contact: Matthew Bates; (951) 674-3146, [email protected] InfraTerra performed a seismic resiliency study of EVMWD’s water and wastewater system. The system includes 70 miles of backbone water pipelines, five backbone reservoirs, one water treatment plant, 70 miles of key gravity and force mains and three wastewater treatment plants. EVMWD’s water pipelines consist primarily of cement mortar lined and coated, ductile iron, and PVC pipes.
The EVMWD service area is located in an area of
high seismic hazard from the Elsinore, San Andreas,
and San Jacinto fault zones, EVMWD facilities are
vulnerable to strong ground shaking, liquefaction,
and fault rupture hazards. The active Elsinore fault
cuts through EVMWD’s system resulting in fault
crossings of 38 backbone water pipelines and 45
key wastewater pipelines. Fault rupture potential,
recurrence interval, and identification of major
fault segments resulted in the development of
block-by-block maps of pipeline fault rupture and
liquefaction hazard. Seismic vulnerability of water and wastewater system pipelines was performed to assess the number of leaks and breaks in a major earthquake. The repair rates were used to develop recovery time estimates. Recommendations including pipeline replacement, and additional studies and planning level budget estimates were developed.
SEIMIC ENGINEERING STUDY Principal-in-Charge: Ahmed Nisar Key personnel: C. Hitchcock, J. Taing, M. Greenfield, V. Calugaru, W. Yen, E. Vinya Client: City of Sunnyvale Contact: Eric Evans, PE; (408) 730-7783, [email protected] InfraTerra completed a condition
assessment and seismic
engineering study for the City of
Sunnyvale’s water system. The
system includes nine steel tanks, six
booster pump stations, seven
groundwater wells, and
approximately 320 miles of water
transmission and distribution
mains. Sunnyvale is located in a
region of high seismic hazard and
regional mapping suggests that
most of the city is susceptible to liquefaction and lateral spreading hazards. As part of this study, a geotechnical database consisting of nearly 500 unique boreholes and over 4,000 samples containing pertinent soil information such as soil classification, density, and laboratory test results was developed.
In addition, a groundwater model and 3D geology model were developed to conduct regional-scale liquefaction analyses.
Example Cross Section of 3D Geology Model
..
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17 Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0 A condition assessment of the water system components was performed based on site reconaissance, review of record drawings, and pipeline leak data. During the site reconaissance, InfraTerra engineers also collected structural data for seismic evaluation. Seismic assessment of the tanks were completed using the American Water Works Associated (AWWA) D100-21 standard. For the pump stations and wells, the seismic
structural assessment followed the ASCE 41-17 standard.
InfraTerra compelted pipeline analyses following methodology by the American Lifelines Alliance (ALA), modified by recent work by O. Rourke (2020). The time required to complete repair and restore the pipeline system were estimated using a detailed process simulation approach. A pipeline risk matrix which considered seismic vulnerability and consequence of failure was developed to identify the pipelines with the highest seismic risk. A prioritized list of mitigation projects with Class 5 cost estimates, to be implemented over the next five, ten, twenty years, and beyond was developed for incorporation into the present and future capital improvement plan. The mitigation projects directly used the results of the risk ranking system developed for the City’s water system.
SEISMIC ASSESSMENT OF ELEVATED WATER TANKS
Principal-in-charge: Ahmed Nisar Key personnel: A. Nisar, C. Hitchcock Client: CalWater Contact: Theodore D. Coughlin, PE; (408) 367-8391; [email protected] Seismic assessment of 18 elevated water tanks for California Water Services Company (CalWater) was performed. The
tanks are more than 100 feet tall and range in capacity from 25,000 gallons to 500,000 gallons. Some of the tanks are close to 100 years old and located in CalWater’s Stockton, Chico, Visalia, Marysville, Bakersfield, Hawthorne, Willows and Dixon Districts.
Seismic assessment of the water towers included an
assessment of liquefaction, landslides, erosion, sensitive soils, subsidence fault rupture and strong ground shaking.
Site specific ground motions were developed for each site.
Site visits to each water tower site were performed to
observe the as-built conditions of the tower and to observe obvious signs of structural distress and general conformance with the available design drawings. For the water towers that did not have any structural drawings, overall configuration of the structure and field measurements of easily accessible structural elements were obtained for the assessment. Using this information, dynamic analysis of each tower was performed using finite element analysis in SAP2000 software. The AWWA D-100 standard with site-specific ground motions was used to identify seismic vulnerabilities for each tower.Conceptual seismic retrofits were developed and evaluated using the finite element model.
Estimates of total steel volume were prepared for planning level cost estimates. CalWater submitted the evaluation reports to the California Public Utilities Committee. ..
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18 Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0
PIPELINE SEISMIC VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT AND REPAIR TIME ESTIMATES Principal-in-Charge: Ahmed Nisar Key personnel: C. Hitchcock, J. Taing, V. Calugaru, W. Yen Client: San Diego County Water Agency (SDCWA) Contact: Jim Zhou, PE; (858) 342-4232; [email protected] InfraTerra completed a seismic resiliency study of SDCWA’s water transmission system. The system has over 250 miles (diameters of 48 – 120 in) of reinforced concrete, welded steel, PCCP, and bar-wrapped concrete cylinder
construction. The pipelines, dissected by numerous rivers, have a high liquefaction hazard with locally steep canyons resulting in landslide hazards. The system is impacted by the San Andreas, San Jacinto, Rose Canyon, and Elsinore Fault Zones (EFZ), with pipelines cutting across EFZ.
Based on the review of existing geotechnical and regional mapping data and field reconnaissance, 46 critical locations with a high risk of earthquake-induced hazard were
identified. Geotechnical borings and cone penetrometer
tests (CPT) were performed at 14 sites with liquefaction analyses at each of the 46 locations. The pipelines were evaluated using nonlinear finite element analysis. Monte Carlo and process simulation techniques were used to
develop restoration time estimates. Pipeline vulnerability and consequences of failure at each pipeline river or fault crossing with associated liquefaction or fault rupture hazard were evaluated by using a weighted average of rankings
assigned to various contributors to the vulnerability and consequences of failure. InfraTerra worked closely with SDCWA engineers and operators to fully understand the complex water system and consequence of failure at each location to logically rank the risk of each crossing.
Pre-earthquake mitigation measures and post-earthquake repair techniques were evaluated and included in recommendations with consideration to risk rankings. Class 5 construction cost estimates were developed by considering material pricing, labor costs, equipment, and contractor's markup.
WATER SYSTEM SEISMIC STUDY
Principal-in-charge: Ahmed Nisar Key personnel: C. Hitchcock, V. Calugaru, M. Greenfield Client: Portland Water Bureau Contact: Ryan Nelson, PE; (503) 823-7240, [email protected] InfraTerra performed seismic reliability study for PWB water transmission and distribution system. The system has over 2,400 miles of pipelines, two major dams, three 54 – 66 in conduits (20 miles each), 39 pump stations, 57 tanks, 10 buried and aboveground reservoirs wellfield, and treatment facilities.
Work included seismic assessment of pipelines and other system components, repair time estimates, development of mitigation options, development of a capital improvement plan (CIP), hydraulic analysis of the existing and improved water system, and post-earthquake recovery and emergency plans.
Permanent ground deformation (PGD) maps for liquefaction and landslide were developed through analysis of existing data and geologic site visits. Lidar-based digital elevation models (DEM) were used to Typical cut sheet showing cross section, vulnerability
and risk at critical crossings.
..
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19 Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0 develop GIS layers of slope, which together with
ground shaking, groundwater, and geologic units
were used to develop PGD maps. The study was
reviewed by Oregon Department of Geology and
Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) and 20 stakeholders.
The Chief Scientist at DOGAMI commended our
work and instructed their staff to use the maps
prepared by InfraTerra for future studies.
The maps
were featured in the 2016 GIS in Action conference
as an example of outstanding cartography. A 50-
year CIP valued at about $1 Billion in 2017 dollars was prepared.
WATER SYSTEM SEISMIC RESILIENCY PLAN
Principal-in-charge: Ahmed Nisar Key personnel: C. Hitchcock, M. Greenfield, V. Calugaru, J. Taing Client: City of Forest Grove Contact: Richard Blackmun, PE; (503)-992-3228; [email protected] InfraTerra was the prime consultant for a
seismic reliability project for the City of Forest
Grove (CFG) water transmission and
distribution system. The seismic reliability
study was performed to meet the
requirements of the Oregon Resilience Plan
(ORP). Project features included the intake
facilities within the watershed, the raw water
transmission line, finished water transmission
and distribution system, flow control and
metering station, raw and finished water pump
stations, water treatment plant facilities, the 1
MG partially buried reinforced concrete David Hill Reservoir and the 5MG buried reinforced concrete reservoir at the water treatment plant site.
The seismic reliability study included defining the system backbone and mapping of earthquake hazards including liquefaction, landslides and lateral spreading. Maps of permanent ground deformation (PGD) from liquefaction, lateral spreading, and landslides were developed and used to evaluate pipeline performance. A site walkthrough of the water system facilities was conducted to evaluate the current conditions of the facilities and identify vulnerabilities. Seismic slopes stability analyses and a structural assessment following the guidelines of ACI 319-14 and ACI 350-06 were conducted for the storage reservoirs. Planning level cost estimates for mitigation and recommendations for long-term capital improvement plans were developed.
SEISMIC ASSESSMENT OF BURIED/PARTIALLY BURRIED RESERVOIRS Principal-in-charge: Ahmed Nisar Key personnel: C. Hitchcock, V. Calugaru, W. Yen Client: Seattle Public Utilities Contact: Bill Wells, PE; (206) 684-0221; [email protected] InfraTerra performed a seismic assessment of Seattle Public Utilities’ (SPU) Eastside reservoir, a 30 MG below-grade prestressed concrete tank constructed in 1986, and Riverton reservoir, a 20 MG partially buried post-tensioned concrete tank constructed in 1979. The water system is located in an area of high InfraTerra Project Manager conducting a technical
workshop with Portland Water Bureau Stakeholders
..
Item 12 Page 37 of 64
ABILITY OF THE PROPOSER TO PERFORM
20 Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0 seismic hazard from the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ)
that is capable of generating a Magnitude 9.0 earthquake.
The Eastside Reservoir had sustained minor to moderate
damage in the 2001 Nisqually earthquake. Seismic
assessment of the reservoirs was performed using multiple analytical techniques ranging from simplified hand
calculations to complex nonlinear soil-structure interaction (SSI) analysis. Limited geotechnical investigations
consisting of geophysical surveys and geotechnical borings at the two reservoirs were performed to obtain properties for the soil material model for the analysis. Non-
destructive testing of the concrete was also performed to estimate concrete strength. The reservoirs were evaluated for eight different levels of earthquake shaking that
included a M9 earthquake on the Cascadia subduction
zone (CSZ), M7 earthquake on CSZ slab (similar to the 2001 Nisqually earthquake), M7 earthquake on the Seattle fault, and probabilistic estimates of earthquake shaking with 72-, 100-, 475-, 975-, and 2,475-year return periods. Seismic retrofit options and planning level cost estimates were developed for different earthquake levels.
Assessments were also performed to evaluate operational fixes such as reduction in water level or removal of soil cover to different depths for the Eastside reservoir. In addition to the seismic assessment, an audit of health and safety, and electrical and mechanical systems was performed.
LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN UPDATE
Principal-in-charge: Ahmed Nisar Key personnel: C. Hitchcock, J. Taing, V. Calugaru, W. Yen Client: SVCSD Contact: Parastou Hooshialsadat, PE; (707) 547-1961, [email protected] InfraTerra completed seismic assessment for more than
thirty buildings and water-retaining structures using ASCE 41-17 (Tier 1 and 2) and ACI 350.3-06 as part of the 2021 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) update for Sonoma
Valley County Sanitation District (SVCSD). Site visits were conducted to assess current conditions and collect
measurements necessary for the Tier 1 and Tier 2
calculations due to incomplete available structural
documentation. The project included evaluation of
natural hazards that impact SVCSD sewer and raw water
pipelines, treatment facilities, pump and lift stations, reservoir, and administration building. InfraTerra
identified structural vulnerabilities and proposed
mitigation actions. InfraTerra tasks included developing and conducting a site reconnaissance program,
evaluating SVCSD assets, conducting workshops with various Sonoma Water divisions, and updating the LHMP. InfraTerra successfully met project milestones on an accelerated project schedule.
Eastside Reservoir
Eastside Reservoir
..
Item 12 Page 38 of 64
FEES AND COST
Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0 Pursuant to Vernon Municipal Code Section 3.32.090, cost estimate to be submitted in a sealed price bid.
..
Item 12 Page 39 of 64
APPENDIX A
– AFFIDAVIT OF NON-COLLUSION
Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0 Appendix A contains a completed and executed, “Affidavit of Non-Collusion” form. ..
Item 12 Page 40 of 64
March 2013
AFFIDAVIT OF NON-COLLUSION BY CONTRACTOR
STATE OF CALIFORNIA)
) ss
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES)
_______________________________________________________________, being first duly sworn deposes and says that he/she is ______________________________________________________________________ (Insert "Sole Owner", "Partner", "President, "Secretary", or other proper title) of______________________________________________________________________________________ (Insert name of bidder)
who submits herewith to the City of Vernon a bid/proposal; That all statements of fact in such bid/proposal are true; That such bid/proposal was not made in the interest of or on behalf of any undisclosed person, partnership, company, association, organization or corporation; That such bid/proposal is genuine and not collusive or sham; That said bidder has not, directly or indirectly by agreement, communication or conference with anyone attempted to induce action prejudicial to the interest of the City of Vernon, or of any other bidder or anyone else interested in the proposed contract; and further That prior to the public opening and reading of bids/proposals, said bidder:
a. Did not directly or indirectly, induce or solicit anyone else to submit a false or sham bid/proposal;
b. Did not directly or indirectly, collude, conspire, connive or agree with anyone else that said bidder or anyone else would submit a false or sham bid/proposal, or that anyone should refrain from bidding or withdraw his/her bid/proposal;
c. Did not, in any manner, directly or indirectly seek by agreement, communication or conference with anyone to raise or fix the bid/proposal price of said bidder or of anyone else, or to raise or fix any overhead, profit or cost element of his/her bid/proposal price, or of that of anyone else; d. Did not, directly or indirectly, submit his/her bid/proposal price or any breakdown thereof, or the contents thereof, or divulge information or data relative thereto, to any corporation, partnership, company, association, organization, bid depository, or to any member or agent thereof, or to any individual or group of individuals, except the City of Vernon, or to any person or persons who have a partnership or other financial interest with said bidder in his/her business.
I certify under penalty of perjury that the above information is correct By:______________________________________ Title:________________________________ Date:____________________________________
Ahmed Nisar
President
InfraTerra, Inc.
..
Item 12 Page 41 of 64
APPENDEX
B – RESUMES
Vernon Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment Proposal Rev0 Appendix B contains resumes for the following key InfraTerra staff expected to contribute to this project:
1. Ahmed Nisar, MS, PE
2. Vladimir Calugaru, PhD, PE
3. Christopher Hitchcock, MS, PG, CEG
4. Jenny Taing, MS, PE
5. Josh Goodman, MS, PG, CEG
6. Wen-Yi Yen, MS
7. Rick Zeeb
8. Mike Greenfield, PhD, PE
9. Emiliano Vinuya, PE ..
Item 12 Page 42 of 64
Ahmed Nisar, PE
Structural/Seismic Engineering/Project Management
Experience Summary
Mr. Nisar has 36 years of consulting experience in earthquake engineering, structural engineering, and risk assessment. Mr. Nisar’s project experience includes multi-hazard reliability assessments of lifeline systems, probabilistic risk assessments, linear and non-linear dynamic analyses, soil-structure interaction (SSI) analyses, probabilistic seismic hazard analyses (PSHA), seismic retrofit designs, seismic reviews of structures, and analysis and design of heavy civil infrastructure, such as large-diameter pipelines, dams, water tanks and mass concrete structures. His areas of expertise include:
Infrastructure Systems Reliability: Mr. Nisar has provided multi-hazard reliability assessments of large, geographically dispersed infrastructure systems, such as water transmission and distribution. He has a broad expertise and understanding of system operations, geographical distribution of multiple hazards, and their interaction with a correspondingly distributed system of source, storage, treatment, pumping facilities, and pipelines. He has managed and performed integrated system reliability studies for numerous water and wastewater systems and developed long-term capital improvement programs. Mr. Nisar has performed seismic assessments of over 150 water tanks/reservoirs, 100 pump stations, and thousands of miles of pipelines. He is an expert in buried infrastructure reliability and design of pipelines crossing faults, liquefaction and lateral spread hazard zones. Some of his major clients include the City of Portland Water Bureau (PWB), City of Salem, City of Forest Grove, Seattle Public Utilities, Sonoma Water, Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD), Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) and San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC).
Earthquake Ground Motion Criteria: Mr. Nisar developed site-specific ground motions for sites in northern and southern California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Utah, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Venezuela, Chile, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Angola, Java, and the Caribbean. His work includes seismic source characterizations and seismicity analyses to develop site-specific design response spectra and spectrum compatible acceleration time histories for critical facilities ranging from petrochemical, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), offshore platforms, water/wastewater lifelines, and building structures(including base isolated buildings, hospital facilities, corporate headquarters, government offices, and industrial facilities).
Special Projects: Mr. Nisar’s specialized experience in seismic analysis of dams meets the safety requirements of the Division of Safety of Dams (DSOD) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). He has used his expertise in nonlinear incremental thermal analysis of mass concrete structures for the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE) on the Portugués Dam in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and on hurricane protection systems for New Orleans, Louisiana. Other work includes forensic studies, probabilistic reliability analysis and flood risk due to hurricanes, tides, and sea level rise. He has performed research studies for the National Science Foundation (NSF), California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), and Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC).
Post-Earthquake Field Reconnaissance: Member of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute’s (EERI) Learning from Earthquakes (LFE) reconnaissance team for the October 8, 2005 magnitude 7.6 earthquake in the northern Pakistan/Kashmir region. This earthquake resulted in over 80,000 casualties and over 1.5 million homeless. Mr. Nisar was an invited speaker at the International Disaster Reduction Conference in Davos, Switzerland to present his earthquake reconnaissance observations. Mr. Nisar also spent over six months documenting damage from the 1994 Northridge earthquake. This work included assessment and reporting of over 100 buildings, ranging from mid- to high-rise office buildings, police stations, and correction facilities for the City and County of Los Angeles. He also developed a systematic methodology for damage assessment and collection of damage statistics for several hundred homes damaged during this earthquake for Aetna insurance company. Following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, Mr. Nisar performed post-earthquake damage assessments of buildings for the City of Oakland.
Seismic Risk Analysis and Retrofit Design: Mr. Nisar has conducted structural/seismic assessments of several hundred buildings (high-rise steel, concrete, tilt-up, masonry, and wood frame) to estimate Earthquake Probable Maximum Loss (PML). Studies have included assessment of earthquake related geologic hazards, probabilistic ground motion and development earthquake damage functions for building structures. He has also provided seismic retrofit design/review of buildings, non-structural elements, and equipment. Major projects include control buildings for the Marin Municipal Water District San Geronimo and Bon Tempe water treatment plants; Santa Clara Valley Water District’s (SCVWD) buildings at the Rinconada and Penitencia water treatment plants and Vasona pump station; buildings at the Lifescan Corporation in Milpitas; a municipal service center for the City of Palo Alto; and major parking garages for the California State University (CSU) campuses in San Francisco, Fullerton, and San Jose.
Publications: Over 20 technical publications.
Education
MS, Structural Engineering
and Mechanics of
Materials: University of
California at Berkeley,
Berkeley, California, 1988
BS, Civil Engineering:
University of Engineering
and Technology, Lahore,
Pakistan, 1986
Years in Practice 36
Registration
Professional Engineer
CA 51071
OR 88512
WA 52547
Memberships
Earthquake Engineering
and Research Institute
(EERI)
Structural Engineering
Association of Northern
California (SEAONC)
American Society of Civil
Engineers (ASCE)
American Water Works
Association (AWWA)
United States Society of
Dams (USSD)
Professional History
InfraTerra, Inc.,
San Francisco, California
2011 – Present
MMI Engineering,
a Geosyntec Company,
Oakland, California
2001 – 2011
URS/Dames & Moore,
San Francisco, California
1989 – 2001
Putterman/Davis,
San Francisco, California
1988 – 1989
Nisar-ul-Haq Associates,
Multan, Pakistan
1986 - 1987 ..
Item 12 Page 43 of 64
Ahmed Nisar, PE
Selected Project Experience – Infrastructure Projects
Multi-Hazard Reliability Improvement, Sonoma Water, Santa Rosa, California: Project Manager and Technical Lead for multi-hazard reliability assessment for Sonoma Water’s system. The system includes 5 Ranney collector wells, 83 miles of pipelines (up to 48-inches in diameter), 9 pump stations, and 17 steel tanks (80.5 million gallon capacity) and two major dams. Multi-hazard reliability assessment was performed including earthquakes, floods, wild fires, landslides, liquefactions, fault rupture hazards, droughts, erosion, and scour. Developed a ten-year Capital Improvement Plan. The study included seismic assessment of the 319-foot high, 3,000-foot crest length Warm Springs Dam impounding 381,000 acre-foot Lake Sonoma and the 164-foot high, 3,500-foot crest length Coyote Valley Dam impounding 122,400 acre-foot Lake Mendocino.
Seismic Vulnerability Assessment and Repair Time Estimates, San Diego County Water Authority, San Diego, California: Project Manager and Technical Lead for seismic reliability assessment of over 300 miles of pipelines for the San Diego County Water Authority. The pipelines range in size from 21 to 120 inches and serve 3.3 million people in the San Diego region. The study area is dissected by numerous drainage channels and rivers with unconsolidated material and shallow groundwater resulting high liquefaction hazard, in addition to locally steep canyons with slope instability and landslide hazards.The water system is impacted by the seismically active San Andreas, San Jacinto and Elsinore Fault Zones, and near its southern end by the Rose Canyon Fault Zone. Pipeline vulnerability assessment is being performed together with repair time estimates.
Pipelines were assessed using nonlinear SSI analysis as well as probabilistic process simulation techniques to develop system restoration times.
Seismic Assessment Backbone Water System, Marin Municipal Water District, Marin County, California: Seismic and structural evaluation and development of design and retrofit standards for MMWD’s Backbone Water System. The system includes 16 steel tanks, two water treatment facilities, a reclamation plant, and several pump stations. GIS mapping of various geotechnical and geologic hazards was also performed. Retrofit prioritization using the vulnerability and criticality of each facility was established and seismic retrofit of key components of the system performed.
Following the reliability study, retrofit design of control buildings at the San Geronimo and Bon Tempe water treatment plants, San Geronimo pump station building, Forbes reservoir roof supporting structure and Bon Tempe wash water tank were performed.
Liquefaction Mitigation Design for Collector Wells, Sonoma County Water Agency, Santa Rosa, California: Project Manager for the liquefaction mitigation design for Sonoma County Water Agency’s collector wells and river diversion system (RDS). Each collector well has a reinforced concrete caisson with 16-feet outer and 13-feet inner diameter. The total length of the caissons ranges from 108 to 126-feet. Near the bottom, each caisson has 8 to 10-inch diameter perforated pipes that extend as much as 100 feet into the surrounding aquifer. Approximately 60 to 80 percent of the total length of the caissons is located below ground and pass through potentially liquefiable layers. The caissons are vulnerable to damage from liquefaction induced lateral spread. Mitigation designs options considered include deep soil mix, slope regarding and structural strengthening. Detailed strain-based nonlinear soil structure interaction analysis was performed using ANSYS.
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), San Francisco, California: Project Manager fault crossing design of two 66-inch pipelines crossing the Calaveras fault for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC). The fault crossing design was developed through a detailed nonlinear strain-based SSI analyses of the pipeline to withstand approximately five feet of surface offset without failure and maintain 180 MGD of flow.
Other elements of the work seismic assessment of three existing pipelines (69-inch reinforced concrete cylinder pipe, 90-inch welded steel pipe, and 96-inch pre-stressed concrete cylinder pipe) crossing the fault; pipeline connection to the Coast Ranges Tunnel portal; seismic assessment of
10.5-foot diameter 50-foot long tunnel portal; and an 80-foot tall tunnel overflow shaft subjected to close to 1.0g of peak ground acceleration.
Water System Seismic Reliability Assessment, Portland Water Bureau (PWB), Portland, Oregon: Project Manager and Technical Lead seismic reliability assessment of Portland Water Bureau’s (PWB) water system; the largest water system in Oregon with over 2,000 miles of pipelines, two major dams, 38 pump stations, 59 tanks, 5 terminal reservoirs and treatment facilities. The study was performed to meet the Oregon Resilience Plan. The study included geohazard mapping, structural vulnerability assessments of components using nonlinear finite element analysis, and hydraulic analyses to identify structural vulnerabilities inan M9.0 Cascadia event and develop a 50-year Capital Improvement Program.
Assessment of PWB conduits and Willamette River crossings was performed using a strain based analysis soil-structure interaction (SSI) analysis.
Crack Investigation, Sonoma County Water Agency: Crack investigation study for the Sonoma County Water Agency’s Mirabel 3 and 4 pump stations. Two of Sonoma County Water Agency’s pump stations were exhibiting cracking in the roof slab and exterior shear walls. The investigative effort included detailed three dimensional finite element modeling of the pump stations. The crack pattern and cause of cracking was accurately predicted. Work also included detailed modeling of the structures under earthquake loading.
Conduit Seismic Hazard Analysis, Portland Water Bureau (PWB), Portland, Oregon: Project Manager and Technical Lead for the seismic assessment and development of mitigation alternatives for three 20 mile long conduits (52, 58, 56-in, lockbar and welded steel pipelines). The pipelines run across the Bull Run and Sandy River canyons with 27 documented cases of large historic landslides. The pipelines are evaluated for median and 84th percentile M9 and 2,475-year events for landslide deformations using nonlinear finite element analysis (Project Ongoing).
Seismic Vulnerability Study Water and Wastewater System, Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD): Project Manager and Technical Lead for seismic study of critical elements of EVMWD’s system that includes 70 miles of water backbone pipelines, 5 backbone reservoirs, water treatment plant, 70 miles of gravity and force mains and three wastewater treatment plants. The system is bisected by the active Elsinore fault and significant portions of the system are subjected to liquefaction hazards.
Transmission Pipeline Seismic Study, Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle, Washington: Project Manager and Technical Lead for seismic assessment of SPU transmission pipelines at 59 locations ranging in size from 30 to 96 inches and develop conceptual upgrade recommendations and planning level cost estimates. The pipelines are subject to ground shaking from an M9 earthquake on the Cascadia subduction zone, earthquake-induced liquefaction, earthquake-triggered landslides surface fault rupture on the Seattle and South Whidbey Island fault zones. Detailed nonlinear SSI finite element analysis was performed as part of the assessment. ..
Item 12 Page 44 of 64
Ahmed Nisar, PE
Contra Costa Canal Seismic Screening Study, Contra Costa Water District, Concord, California: Project Manager for seismic screening study for 22 miles of the canal. Seismic fragilities of the concrete lined canal and 15 buried concrete siphons. The evaluation included assessment of strong ground motions, seismic wave propagation, liquefaction, and landslide hazards along the canal.
Water Sector Earthquake Resilience Workshops, Environmental Protection Agency, Washington DC: Performed high level seismic assessment of City of Jackson, Missouri, Suisun-Solano Water Authority, California, and City of Tumwater, Washington water systems for the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and presented the methodology in the EPA’s water sector seismic resiliency webinars.
Pipeline Fault and River Crossing Design, Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA), Santa Rosa, California: Project Manager and Technical Lead for fault crossing design of 36-inch Santa Rosa Aqueduct crossing the Rodgers Creek Fault and river crossing design of 48-inch Russian River-Cotati Intertie subjected to close to 10 feet of liquefaction-induced lateral spread displacement. Nonlinear soil-structure interaction analysis was performed using ANSYS finite element analysis program.
Contra Costa Water District, Large Diameter Pipeline Fault Crossing Mitigation, California: Project Manager and lead engineer for CCWD’s Treated Water Reliability Improvements (TWRI) – Fault Crossings project. The District serves a population of over a quarter million people. Several of its diameter pipelines (ranging in size from 12 inches to 42 inches) cross the Concord Fault. The Concord Fault is part of the San Andreas Fault System and can produce a surface rupturing earthquake. Developed mitigation strategies and design recommendations for pipeline fault crossings.
Developed a detailed emergency response field guide to help the District’s field crew to rapidly isolate damaged sections of the pipelines.
Water and Sewer Pipeline Fault Crossings, City of Hayward, Hayward, California: Project Manager and lead engineer for the reliability assessment and retrofit design of City of Hayward’s water and sewer pipelines crossing the Hayward fault for M7.0 earthquake with surface fault displacements of 5 to 6 feet. Mitigation methodology included a combination of pipeline replacement, bypass, and isolation for over 70 water and sewer pipelines totaling over 2 miles in length. Project included detailed mapping of the Hayward fault. Design of two replacement pipelines was performed using strain-based SSI analysis using the software ANSYS.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), Seismic Reliability Assessment, California: Project Manager and technical lead for the seismic reliability assessment of two seven mile underground 230 kV High Pressure Fluid Fill pipelines and 30 miles of 13 115 kV high pressure gas filled transmission lines for the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). Each line traverses areas of high liquefaction and lateral spread hazard that liquefied in both the 1906 Great San Francisco and 1989 Loma Prieta earthquakes. The project included seismic design of a new high voltage offshore cable subjected to large permanent ground deformation. Seismic assessment of the existing lines and design of the new cable was performed using strain-based SSI analysis. Detailed consideration of uncertainty in earthquake, ground deformation and pipeline response was considered in a Monte Carlo analysis to estimate failure probabilities, which was used to obtain approval from the California Public Utilities Commission.
Seismic Design Review, North Marin Water District, Novato, California: Project Manager and lead engineer for the seismic design review for a 42- inch pipeline crossing at San Antonio Creek for North Marin Water District. As part of the Caltrans Marin Sonoma Narrows (MSN) and the NMWD Aqueduct Energy Efficiency project (AEEP), North Marin Water District (NMWD) is completing the design of approximately three miles of a new pipeline between Novato and Petaluma. Seismic design review of Reach B of this pipeline that crosses San Antonio Creek was performed to evaluate seismic design consideration employed by the design team. The pipeline is subjected to potential liquefaction and lateral spread hazard in an earthquake.
Failure Analysis Water Tank, Daly City, California: Performed detailed analysis to study the failure mechanism of a 1.5 million gallon steel water tank. Non-linear dynamic analysis was performed using DYNA software. The tank was located within a few hundred feet of the San Andreas Fault at the border of the City of Pacifica and Daly City. Conventional AWWA analysis showed the tank to fail during a repeat of the 1906 Earthquake on the San Andreas Fault. The purpose of the analysis was to identify the failure mechanism and estimate the rate of water flowing out of the tank. The estimated flow rate was used to design a deflection wall to protect adjacent homes.
Seismic Assessment of Water Reservoirs, California Water Services Company, California: Performed seismic and structural evaluation and development of retrofit concepts for 39 water storage reservoirs, ranging in size from 5000 to 1,500,000 gallons capacity, located throughout the State of California for the Southern California Water Company. The reservoirs consist of both above ground and underground steel and concrete tanks. The evaluation was performed using AWWA D-100 and AWWA D-103 procedures for steel tanks and AWWA D-110 for prestressed concrete tanks.
Seismic Assessment of Elevated Water Tanks, California Water Services Company, San Jose, California: Project Manager and Technical Lead for seismic reliability of 18 elevated water tanks in Stockton, Chico, Hamilton City, Bakersfield, Hawthorne, Visalia, Dixon and Marysville for the California Water Services Company. The elevated tanks range in capacity from 25,000 gallons to 500,000 gallons supported on 100 to 120 feet tall steel towers that are approximately 80 to 100 years old. The project included preliminary assessment of seismic hazards including strong ground shaking and liquefaction potential and dynamic analysis of the structure. Conceptual retrofit schemes were developed to estimate order of magnitude cost estimates for retrofit.
Rapid Structural Seismic Assessment of Essential Facilities in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, California Office of Emergency Services: Project Director for rapid visual seismic screening of essential facilities for Cal OES using FEMA P-154 methodology. Over 1,000 buildings located in 200 essential facilities were evaluated. Oversaw the development of web-based seismic risk scoring tool based on visual assessment and desktop review of building characteristics.
Spectrum Compatible Time Histories for Nuclear Plant, Teollisuuden Voima Oyj, Olkiluoto, Finland: Development of a suite of earthquake acceleration time histories for seismic probabilistic risk analysis (PRA) using the Latin Hypercube approach for the Finnish nuclear utility TVO’s Olkiluoto site. A suite of 30 time histories consisting of two horizontal and one vertical component were developed. The time histories were matched to the uniform hazard spectrum such that both the spectrum of each time history and the median and one standard deviation spectra of the suite of time histories matched a given set of constraints. ..
Item 12 Page 45 of 64
Ahmed Nisar, PE
Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis Critical Buildings, Multiple Clients, California: Developed design ground motion criteria using probabilistic and deterministic seismic hazard analysis procedures. Developed site specific response spectra for various probability levels and a corresponding set of acceleration time histories for multiple facilities located in California. Some of the key projects include: (1) Los Angeles County USC medical center facilities in Los Angeles; (2) High Desert Hospital in Lancaster; (3) San Francisco International Airport’s new International terminal building, (4) Oakland City Hall (base isolation design); (5) Channing House, Palo Alto (base isolation); and (6) the GAP Headquarters building in San Francisco.
Publications
A. Nisar, A. Nervik, A. Li, “Fault Crossing Design of 66-inch Pipeline, San Francisco Hetch-Hetchy Water System”, American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE/SEI Structures Congress 2015, Portland, Oregon, April 23 – 25, 2015.
A. Nisar, A. Nervik, A. Li, “Fault Crossing Design of 66-inch Pipeline, San Francisco Hetch-Hetchy Water System”, American Society of Civil Engineers, Pipelines 2013 Conference, Fort Worth, Texas, June 23 – 26, 2013.
Nisar, A., Vossoughi, F. and Alpdogan, C., “Design Considerations for Mass Concrete Elements of Flood Gates for New Orleans Hurricane Protection Project,” Solutions to Coastal Disasters Conference organized by the Coasts, Oceans, Ports and Rivers Institute (COPRI) of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) to be held in Anchorage, Alaska, June 26-29, 2011.
Guisbert, S., Zekkos, D. and Nisar, A., “Time vs. Frequency domain ground motion modification: Effects on site response analyses and seismic displacements,” Ninth U.S. National and Tenth Canadian Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Toronto, Canada, 2010.
Nisar, A., Lee, D., Doumbalski, N. and Fieberling, E., “Seismic Response of San Pablo Reservoir Drain Intake,” 6th U.S. – Japan Workshop on Water System Seismic Practices, Water Research Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan, October 14-16, 2009.
Nisar, A. “Seismic Design Criteria for the Maleo Producer, Madura Straits,” Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, Texas, May 2008.
Nisar, A., Dollar, D., Jacob, P., Chu, D., Logie, C. and Li, G., “Nonlinear Incremental Thermal Stress Strain Analysis for Portugues Dam; An RCC Gravity Arch Dam,” 28th United States Society of Dams Annual Meeting and Conference, Portland, Oregon, April 2008.
Nervik, A., Nisar, A., Christensen, A., Li, A. and Mueller, C., “Numerical Simulation of Buried Pipe Response to Strong Ground Shaking and Fault Rupture,” The Northern California Pipe User’s Group 16th Annual Sharing Technologies Seminar, Berkeley, CA, February 21, 2008.
Nisar, A., Kelson, K., (2008), Fault-Crossing Design of Large-Diameter Pipeline Crossing Calaveras Fault, Third Conference on Earthquake Hazards in the Eastern San Francisco Bay Area October 22-24.
Nisar, A., Hitchcock, C., (2008), Mitigation of Fault-Crossing Hazard for Large-Diameter Pipelines Crossing the Concord Fault, Third Conference on Earthquake Hazards in the Eastern San Francisco Bay Area October 22-24.
Nisar, A. and Doumbalski, N., “Fault Crossing Design of a Critical Large Diameter Pipeline,” 5th Water System Seismic Conference, jointly organized by Water Research Foundation formerly American Water Works Association Research Foundation, Japan Water Works Association and East Bay Municipal Utility District, Oakland, California, August 8, 2007.
Nisar, A. and Summers, P.B., "Practical Guidance for Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Petrochemical Facilities" First International Conference on Disaster Reduction, Davos, Switzerland, August 27 - September 1, 2006.
Nisar, A., Scawthorn, C., Stillman, C., Jasperse, J., Gur, T. and Villet, W.C.B., “Multi-hazard Reliability for a Major Water Utility Agency in the San Francisco Bay Area,” 8th National Conference on Earthquake Engineering, San Francisco, California, April 2006.
Nisar, A., Honegger, D., Ameri, A., Summers, P.B., Hitchcock, C., Liu, A. and Louie, H., “Mitigation of Fault Rupture Hazard to Water Mains of a Major Metropolitan in the San Francisco Bay Area,” 13th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Vancouver, B.C. Canada, August 2004.
Contributing author: ASCE special publication on Seismic Design and Evaluation of Petrochemical Facilities.
Contributing author: Reliability and Restoration of Water Supply Systems for Fire Suppression and Drinking Following Earthquakes, a publication of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Hilmy, S., Werner, S.D., Nisar, A., Beck, J.L., “Analysis of Strong-Motion Records from a Parking Structure during the 17 January 1994 Northridge Earthquake,” California Divisions of Mines and Geology Office of Strong Motion Studies, CSMIP/00-04 (OSMS 00-06), March 2000.
Nisar, A. and Golesorkhi, R., “Development of Vertical Design Response Spectrum in the Near-Field,” 5th International Conference on Seismic Zonation, Nice France, Oct. 1995.
Adib, A., Villet, W.C.B. and Nisar, A., “Prestressed Concrete Piles under Seismic Loading: Case History,” 3rd International Conference on Recent Advances in Geotechnical, Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics, St. Louis, MO, Apr. 1995.
Nisar, A., Werner, S.D., Beck, J.L., “Use of System Identification of Recorded Building Motions from Loma Prieta Earthquake to Assess UBC Seismic Design Provisions,” Proc. 10th World Earthquake Engineering Conference, Madrid, Spain, Aug 1992.
Werner, S.D., Beck, J.L. and Nisar, A., “Analysis of Building Records from 1989 Loma Prieta, 1984 Morgan Hill, and 1986 Mt. Lewis Earthquakes,” Proceedings of ASCE Structural Congress, San Antonio TX, Apr. 1992.
Werner, S.D., Nisar, A., Beck, J.L., “Use of Strong Motion Records to Assess Seismic Response Characteristics and UBC Seismic Design Provisions for Buildings - Performance of Man-Made Structures,” NEHRP Report on Congress on the Loma Prieta, CA Earthquake (in preparation).
Werner, S. D., Beck, J.L. and Nisar, A., “Full Scale Dynamic Tests and Seismic Excitation of a Bridge Structure,” Proc. 4th U.S. National Earthquake Engineering Conference, Palm Springs, CA, May 1990. ..
Item 12 Page 46 of 64
Vladimir Calugaru, PhD, PE
Structural Engineering
Experience Summary
Dr. Calugaru has 16 years of project management, consulting, and research experience in earthquake engineering and risk assessment. He specializes in seismic evaluation, seismic retrofit design, numerical analysis, and reliability assessment of complex structures and infrastructure systems. Dr. Calugaru has been responsible for seismic assessment of more than 600 buildings in California, Oregon, Washington, and more than thirty countries worldwide using ASCE 41, FEMA P-58, and ATC-13, as well as more than 1,000 buildings in California using FEMA P-154. His graduate research at the University of California, Berkeley focused on seismically isolated structures, particularly tall buildings and liquid storage tanks.
Dr. Calugaru is an active board member of the Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC) Disaster Emergency Services (DES) and Existing Building committees, as well as the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Structural Engineering Institute (SEI), San Francisco Chapter. As chair and co-chair of the SEAONC DES committee, Dr. Calugaru has organized several ATC-20 / Cal OES Safety Assessment Program (SAP) Evaluator training programs, helping hundreds of structural engineers obtain Disaster Services Worker (DSW) Volunteer certification. He has led a graduate-level course on reinforced concrete design at San Francisco State University, and has developed and led an online preparatory course for the PE Civil California Seismic Exam. Dr. Calugaru performed post-earthquake inspections of numerous buildings and infrastructure components following the 2017 Puebla and the 2022 Ferndale earthquakes.
Selected Project Experience
Seismic Assessment and Retrofit Design of Buildings and Infrastructure Systems Seismic Vulnerability Assessment, Valley of the Moon Water District, CA (2024 – Present) Dr. Calugaru is the project manager and structural team lead for seismic vulnerability assessment of the district’s facilities and pipelines, and development of a prioritized capital improvement project list. Contract Fee: $244K.
Seismic Analysis of Drinking Water System, City of Petaluma, CA (2024 – Present) Dr. Calugaru is the project manager and structural team lead for seismic vulnerability assessment of the city’s facilities and pipelines, including conceptual retrofit design and cost estimation. Contract Fee: $230K.
Conduit Seismic Hazard Analysis, Portland Water Bureau (PWB), Oregon (2023 – Present) Dr. Calugaru is responsible for the detailed seismic assessment of three large-diameter steel pipelines subject to significant ground shaking and landslide hazard in a M9.0 Cascadia event. Contract Fee: $1.03M.
Confidential Client, Seismic Assessment of Office Buildings, CA, OR, WA and International (Jan 2016 – Present) Dr. Calugaru is the project manager and lead structural engineer for the seismic risk assessment of 600+ office buildings for a Fortune Global 500 client. He has conducted site visits and desktop assessments across 30+ countries, including the U.S. (CA, OR, WA). Using ASTM E2026-16a, ASCE 41, and ATC-13 standards, he performs stability, damageability, and business interruption assessments while also developing retrofit designs and cost estimates for select buildings. Contract Fee: $1.5M.
Sonoma County Water Authority, Natural Hazard Mitigation Study, Sonoma, CA (2022 – 2024) Dr. Calugaru is the structural team lead for the seismic assessment of 17 anchored and unanchored steel tanks.
Assessments include field inspection of all tanks and analysis using AWWA D100-21. Contract Fee: $680K.
Blue Lake Rancheria, Seismic Assessment of All Structures on Tribal Lands, CA (2022 –2023) Dr. Calugaru was the project manager and lead structural engineer for the FEMA P-154 and ASCE 41-17 Tier 1 seismic assessment of all structures on the Blue Lake Rancheria tribal landsin Humboldt County, CA. The project scope included 40 public, private, and commercial buildings, one water tank and one bridge. Contract Fee: $50K.
Cal OES, Seismic Inventory of Essential Facilities in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, CA (2022 – 2023) Dr. Calugaru wasthe project manager and lead structural engineer for the seismic inventory of essential facilities in Humboldt and Del Norte counties for the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) using FEMA P-154. More than 200 facilities with more than 1,000 buildings were assessed. Contract Fee: $137K.
Sonoma County Water Authority, Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update, CA (2021) Dr. Calugaru was the structural team lead for seismic assessment of more than 30 buildings and water-retaining structures using ASCE 41-17 (Tier 1 and 2) and ACI 350.3-06 for Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District as part of the 2021 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan update. Contract Fee: $135K.
EBMUD, MWWTP Administrative Facilities Seismic Retrofit Project, CA (2021 – 2022) Dr. Calugaru was the assistant project manager and structural engineer for the seismic retrofit design for three buildings, multiple non-building structures, and nonstructural components for the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD). Contract Fee: $1.0M.
Education
PhD, Structural
Engineering, University of
California, Berkeley, 2013
MS, Structural
Engineering, University of
California, Berkeley, 2009
BS, General Engineering,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign, 2006
Years in Practice 16
Registration
Professional Engineer
CA 88062
Cal OES Safety Assessment
Program (SAP) DSW
Volunteer #88364
Memberships
Structural Engineers
Association of Oregon
(SEAO), Member, 2023 –
Present
Structural Engineering
Association of Northern
California (SEAONC)
Existing Buildings
Committee, Member,
2020 – Present
ASCE Structural
Engineering Institute (SEI),
San Francisco Chapter,
Chair, Vice-Chair,
Marketing Director, 2015 – 2023
SEAONC, Disaster
Emergency Services
Committee, Co-Chair,
2015– 2020
Professional History
InfraTerra, Inc.
San Francisco, CA
2012 – Present
MMI Engineering
Oakland, CA – 2008
ExxonMobil Upstream
Research Company
Houston, TX – 2007
Innovative Technical
Solutions
Walnut Creek, CA – 2006
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Item 12 Page 47 of 64
Vladimir Calugaru
, PhD, PE
Southern California Edison, Seismic Fragility of Powerhouses and Peaker, CA (2017 – 2020) ASCE 41-17 Tier 3 assessment of historic electric substations for Southern California Edison. The assessment involved a data review, site visit, hand calculations, and SAP2000 analysis to determine the controlling failure modes and calculate the best-estimate capacities. Contract Fee: $362K.
Santa Clara Valley Water District, Seismic Assessment and Retrofit Recommendations Rinconada Treatment Plant Control Building, CA (2013) Seismic assessment and retrofit recommendations for the Santa Clara Valley Water District’s Rinconada water treatment plant control building.
Dr. Calugaru was responsible for non-linear finite element analysis of the selected retrofit option, which includes the addition of new reinforced concrete shear walls and floor diaphragms. Contract Fee: Confidential.
California Water Services Company, Pittsburg Tank & Water Company, Seismic Assessment of Water Tanks, CA (2012 – 2014) Nonlinear static analysis and preliminary retrofit designs as needed for 8 elevated water tanks for the California Water Services Company and the Pittsburg Tank & Tower Company using SAP2000. Contract Fee: Confidential.
Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Seismic Analysis of 115kV Electrical Transmission Lines, San Francisco, CA (2020 – 2021) Nonlinear soil-structure interaction analysis using ANSYS and seismic reliability assessment of 15 underground 115 kV gas filled pipe-type cables subject to extensive lateral spreading and settlement for the Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E). Contract Fee: $450K.
Water System Seismic Reliability Assessment, Portland Water Bureau (PWB), Oregon (2014 – 2017) The PWB water system has over 2,000 miles of pipelines, two major dams, large diameter conduits, pump stations, tanks, and treatment facilities.
Dr. Calugaru was responsible for component and system vulnerability assessment for a M9.0 Cascadia event that contributed to the development of a long-term Capital Improvement Program. Contract Fee: $1.2M.
City of Forest Grove, Water System Seismic Resiliency Plan, Forest Grove, Oregon (2017 – 2019) Seismic reliability assessment of the water system for the City of Forest Grove, Oregon. Dr. Calugaru reviewed as-built drawings, performed site visits, and was responsible for the seismic structural evaluation of multiple buildings and reservoirs for the M9.0 Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) scenario seismic hazard level using the ASCE 41-13 Tier 1 screening procedure. Contract Fee: $200K.
Metropolitan Wastewater Commission, Seismic Assessment of Wastewater Infrastructure, Eugene-Springfield, Oregon (2018 – 2019) Seismic reliability assessment of the wastewater system for the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC), a partnership of the cities of Eugene and Springfield and Lane County in Oregon. The system serves a population of approximately 220,000. Dr. Calugaru reviewed as-built drawings, conducted site visits, and performed seismic structural evaluations of pump stations for the M9.0 CSZ scenario seismic hazard level using the ASCE 41-13 Tier 1 screening procedure. Contract Fee: $199K.
Special Studies and Research
University of California, Berkeley (2009 – 2013)
Dr. Calugaru worked with Prof. Marios Panagiotou on seismically isolated tall buildings with and without a rocking core wall at the University of California, Berkeley. This work has resulted in numerous peer-reviewed publications and was the topic of Dr. Calugaru’s PhD dissertation. This research resulted in wider acceptance of seismic isolation in the design of tall buildings and demonstrated the possibility of tall buildings at a near- fault site to remain operational even at MCE-level of ground shaking.
University of California, Berkeley (2007 – 2009)
Dr. Calugaru worked with Prof. Stephen Mahin at the University of California, Berkeley on an extensive shaking table experimental program to study seismic isolation of liquid storage tanks. As the lead graduate student researcher on the project, Dr. Calugaru developed and conducted a set of more than 260 non-destructive shaking table tests. The results were used to calibrate numerical models and helped develop design recommendations for seismically isolated liquid storage tanks.
Selected Publications
Calugaru V., Nisar A., Hitchcock C., Greenfield M., Nelson R. Seismic Reliability Assessment of Buried Pipelines Subjected to Significant Permanent Ground Deformations in an M9 Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake. Proceedings of the ASCE Lifelines 2021-2022 Conference, University of California, Los Angeles, February 7—11, 2022.
Calugaru V., Nisar A., Hitchcock C., Fujisaki E., Ho H., Low B. Seismic Analysis and Design of Offshore High-Voltage Cable in Young Bay Mud for M7.8 Earthquake on San Andreas Fault. Proceedings of the ASCE Lifelines 2021-2022 Conference, University of California, Los Angeles, February 7—11, 2022.
Nisar A., Nelson R., Calugaru V., Hitchcock C., O'Rourke T.D., Scawthorn C., Greenfield M. Complying with the Oregon Resilience Plan - Case Study of the Portland, Oregon Water Supply System. Proceedings of the Eleventh U.S. National Conference on Earthquake Engineering: Integrating Science, Engineering & Policy, June 25-29, 2018, Los Angeles, California.
Calugaru V. and Panagiotou M. Seismic Responses of 20-Story Base-Isolated and Fixed-Base RC Structural Wall Buildings at a Near-Fault Site.
Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics 2014; 43(6): 927–948.
Calugaru V. and Panagiotou M. Response of Tall Cantilever Wall Buildings to Strong Pulse-Type Seismic Excitation. Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics 2012; 41(9): 1301–1318.
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Item 12 Page 48 of 64
Christopher Hitchcock, CEG
Principal Engineering Geologist
Experience Summary
Mr. Hitchcock has over 30 years of consulting expertise in the fields of seismic hazard, geologic site characterization, and engineering geology. Much of his research and applied project experience relates to geologic hazard and geotechnical site characterization for dam siting studies and hazard mitigation planning for geographically-distributed water supply systems. His project responsibilities include project management, liquefaction assessments, probabilistic seismic hazard assessments, oversight of geotechnical drillings, monitoring of active landslides, aerial photography interpretations, surveying, and geologic mapping.
Mr. Hitchcock has been a Principal or co-Principal Investigator on fourteen research projects sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) to evaluate fault ruptures and liquefaction hazards. He was co-Principal Investigator for USGS-funded research of the Midland and West Tracy faults, Delta seismic sources that could impact Delta levee and water conveyance infrastructure. Mr. Hitchcock currently serves as Steering Committee Member for Weather Related and Outside Force threats as part of Pacific Gas & Electric Company’s (PG&E’s) Transmission Integrity Management (TIMP) group, which is responsible for analyzing risk across PG&E’s gas transmission system.
Selected Water System/Lifeline Risk Assessment Project Experience Seismic Vulnerability Assessment and Repair Time Estimates, San Diego County Water Authority, San Diego, California: Lead engineering geologist for seismic reliability assessment of over 300 miles of pipelines for the San Diego County Water Authority. The pipelines range in size from 21 to 120 inches and serve 3.3 million people in the San Diego region. The study area is dissected by numerous drainage channels and rivers with unconsolidated material and shallow groundwater resulting high liquefaction hazard, in addition to locally steep canyons with slope instability and landslide hazards.The water system is impacted by the seismically active San Andreas, San Jacinto and Elsinore Fault Zones, and near its southern end by the Rose Canyon Fault Zone.
Pipeline vulnerability assessment is being performed together with repair time estimates.
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, Seismic Vulnerability Study of Water and Wastewater System, Elsinore, California
Lead engineering geologist for seismic study of critical elements of EVMWD’s system that includes 70 miles of water backbone pipelines, 5 backbone reservoirs, water treatment plant, 70 miles of gravity and force mains and three wastewater treatment plants. The system is bisected by the active Elsinore fault and significant portions of the system are subjected to liquefaction hazards.
Portland Water Bureau (PWB), Seismic Reliability Study, Portland, Oregon Lead geologist responsible for the assessment of seismic hazards to the City of Portland’s water supply and detailed evaluation of potential landslide impacts to water conduits. The PWB water system serves a population of more than 935,000, almost one-quarter of Oregon’s population. The seismic reliability study includes geohazard mapping, component vulnerability assessment, and system hydraulic analysis to identify system vulnerabilities for a M9.0 Cascadia event and develop a Capital Improvement Program.
Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA), Risk Assessment of Water Supply System, Sonoma County, California Lead geologist for the assessment of geologic and seismic hazards to the SCWA water supply system, which includes 17 reservoirs, 9 major pipelines, and 8 pump stations. Mr. Hitchcock managed and conducted the evaluation of geologic and seismic hazards to the system. Phases of study included regional hazard analysis, followed by site-specific drilling, and dynamic stability analysis of key water supply facilities. The study also included walkdown inspections and failure mode analyses for major system components.
Contra Costa Water District, Contra Costa Canal Seismic Screening Study, Concord, California: Lead engineering geologist for seismic screening study for 22 miles of the canal as part of a study to evaluate the feasibility of replacing the canal with a pipeline. The study included development of seismic fragilities of the concrete-lined canal and 15 buried concrete siphons along with assessment of strong ground motions, seismic wave propagation, liquefaction, and landslide hazards along the canal.
City of Hayward, Fault Vulnerability Assessment of Sewer and Water Main System, Hayward, California Project manager and lead engineering geologist for evaluation of fault rupture hazards to the water and sewer system within the City of Hayward. Tasks included compilation and review of previous subsurface trenching and mapping studies, field mapping using GPS and GIS to delineate active creeping traces of the Hayward fault, and delineations of the location, amount, and width of possible ground deformation.
Education
MS, Geology: University of
Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah,
1993
BS, Geology: University of
California, Santa Barbara,
Santa Barbara, California,
1990
Years in Practice
30 Registration
Certified Engineering
Geologist, CA, 2017, 1996
to present
Professional Geologist, CA,
6522, 1996 to present
Licensed Engineering
Geologist, Licensed
Geologist
WA 2472
Certified Geographic
Information Systems
Professional
00059777
2008-2013
Memberships
American Geophysical
Union (AGU)
American Society of Civil
Engineers (ASCE)
Geological Society of
America (GSA)
Professional History
InfraTerra, Inc.,
San Francisco, California
2011 – Present
Fugro, Inc.
Walnut Creek, California
2007– 2011
William Lettis &
Associates, Inc.,
Walnut Creek, California
1993– 2007
..
Item 12 Page 49 of 64
Christopher Hitchcock,
PG, CEG
Contra Costa Water District, Shortcut Pipeline Phase 3 Walnut Creek Crossing, Concord, California Lead engineering geologist for evaluation of fault rupture hazards to replacement for 48-in diameter water pipeline with twin 36-inch diameter pipelines across the active Concord Fault. The study included development of fault crossing parameters for design including fault location, width of faulting, fault displacement estimates, and sense of slip. These parameters were used in Ansys to model pipeline response to faulting for identification of optimal fault crossing angle and pipeline properties for design.
Relevant Southern California Seismic Hazard Mapping Experience National Science Foundation, Liquefaction Hazard Mapping, Simi Valley, Southern California.
Principal investigator for evaluation of liquefaction hazards within Simi Valley. This National Science Foundation (NSF) funded study included detailed mapping of Quaternary geology and analyses of geotechnical borings to delineate areas of high liquefaction hazard. Products include digital (GIS) geologic and liquefaction susceptibility maps produced in cooperation with the California Geological Survey (CGS) Seismic Hazards Mapping Program. These products were incorporated into CGS’s official liquefaction hazard zone maps and are being used by the City of Simi Valley and Ventura County for planning purposes.
County of Ventura, Liquefaction Hazard Mapping, Southern California Project manager and lead geologist for Quaternary geologic mapping and evaluation of liquefaction hazards within Ventura County. Developed digital Quaternary geology and liquefaction susceptibility maps in close cooperation with the Geologic Survey (CGS) for the County of Ventura Resource Management Agency as part of a comprehensive, integrated seismic hazards mapping program in Ventura County. Maps developed by Mr. Hitchcock have been incorporated into the County of Ventura's GIS database for characterization of potential seismic hazards to pipelines and associated facilities, as required by recent State legislation, and for emergency response planning. National Science Foundation, Seismic source characterization, San Fernando Valley, Southern California Principal co-investigator for a NSF-funded geomorphic study of surface deformation above active thrust faults within northern San Fernando Valley. This study applied quantitative geomorphic techniques to evaluate potential earthquake sources in the epicentral area of the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
La Conchita Slope Stabilization Project, Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, Geological Study and Risk Assessment, Landslide Mapping, Southern California. Lead engineering geologist for geological characterization of the La Conchita landslide under static and dynamic (earthquake conditions). Responsible for developing hazard maps that integrate LiDAR, geotechnical borings, and field mapping. Worked closely with the State to develop an all-inclusive analysis for the formulation of different hazard mitigation options.
Representative Publications
Fenton, C. H., and Hitchcock, C.S., 2002, Recent geomorphic and paleoseismic investigations of thrust faults in Santa Clara Valley, California:
Association of Engineering Geologists (AEG) Special Volume, Engineering Geology Practice in Northern California.
Hecker, S., Langenheim, V.E., Williams, R.A., and
Hitchcock, C.S., 2016, Detailed Mapping and Rupture Implications of the 1 km Releasing Bend in the Rodgers Creek Fault at Santa Rosa, Northern California: Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, v. 106.10.1785/0120150152.
Hitchcock, C.S., and Kelson, K.I., 1999, Growth of late Quaternary folds in southwest Santa Clara Valley, San Francisco Bay area, California:
Implications of "triggered slip" for seismic hazard and earthquake recurrence: Geology, v. 26, n. 5., p. 391-394.
Hitchcock, C.S., Lindvall, S.C., Helms, J.G., Randolph, C., Weaver, K., Lettis, W.R., Van Zuyle, and Kada, Lynne, 2001, Liquefaction Susceptibility Mapping, Ventura County, California: ESRI Map Book, Vol. 17, 1 plate (color), map scale 1:100,000. <http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume17/mining3.html> Hitchcock, C.S., Loyd, R.C., and Haydon, W.D., 1999, Mapping liquefaction hazards in Simi Valley, Ventura County, California: Environmental and Engineering Geoscience v. 5, no. 4, p. 441-458.
Hitchcock, C.S., and Wills, C.J., 2000, Quaternary Geology of the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California: California Division of Mines and Geology Map Sheet 50, 1 plate (color), map scale 1:48,000.
Wills, C.J., and Hitchcock, C.S., 1999, Late Quaternary sedimentation and liquefaction hazard in San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California: Environmental and Engineering Geoscience, v. 5, no. 4, p. 419-440. ..
Item 12 Page 50 of 64
Jenny Taing, PE
Senior Engineer
Experience Summary
Ms. Taing has 10 years of geologic and geotechnical engineering experience including seismic hazard evaluation, geohazard assessments, and infrastructure system reliability assessments.
Much of her applied project experience relates to hazard mitigation planning and emergency response for geographically distributed infrastructure. Her project responsibilities include project management, seismic hazard assessments, liquefaction assessments, slope stability assessments, geohazard field reconnaissance, geotechnical subsurface investigations, and geotechnical construction observations. Ms. Taing has been involved in more than 10 seismic-related projects for critical infrastructure in the last five years. She has extensive experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, including structural engineers, geotechnical engineers, geologists, construction, GIS analysts,software engineers, IT infrastructure engineers, and UX/UI designers.
Select Project Experience
City of Sunnyvale, Seismic Engineering Study, Sunnyvale, CA (February 2023 – February 2025) Project manager for Seismic Engineering Study for the City of Sunnyvale water system, which includes over 300 miles of distribution and transmission pipelines, 9 reservoirs, 6 pump stations, and 6 groundwater wells. Seismic hazards include strong ground shaking and liquefaction. Quantified liquefaction hazard maps were developed for the study area using 500 borings and over 4,000 samples. Seismic vulnerability assessment of pipelines using updated fragility models, reservoirs using AWWA D100-21 standard, and pump stations wells infrastructure under ASCE 41-17 Tier 1. Probabilistic analyses were performed using Monte Carlo simulations and process simulation techniques to develop realistic estimates of restoration times. A seismic risk ranking system incorporating vulnerabilities and consequences of failure was developed for the pipeline system. Pre-earthquake mitigation measures and cost estimates were evaluated and included in recommendations with consideration given to risk rankings.
Sonoma County Water Authority, Natural Hazard Mitigation Study, Sonoma, CA (October 2022 – Present) Project manager for Natural Hazard Mitigation Study, a follow-up study for the Natural Hazard Reliability Update project completed in July 2022 for Sonoma Water. Study includes development, coordination, and execution of geotechnical investigations consisting of 56 CPTs throughout Sonoma County to quantify liquefaction hazard; updated vulnerability assessment of aqueducts with improved liquefaction hazard quantification to refine system restoration estimates; updated seismic assessment of 18 tanks following AWWA D100-21 standard; pre-design mitigation to address lateral spreading and ground shaking hazards for Ranney wells; and development of risk methodology to support decision making for seismic retrofit of major components of the water system. PG&E Geosciences, Dynamic Automated Seismic Hazard (DASH) Upgrade, California (2021 – Present) Project manager and technical consultant for upgrades to PG&E’s Dynamic Automated Seismic Hazard (DASH) tool, a key internal emergencyresponse andplanning tool following an earthquake. The DASH application provides PG&E personnel automated rapid damage estimates based on real-time earthquake data and informs prioritization of post-earthquake inspection. Supported lines of businesses (LOBs) include corporate real estate buildings; electric transmission lines, distribution lines, and substations; gas transmission pipe, distribution pipe, and facilities; hydro dams; and nuclear power generation facilities. Duties include managing a team of software developers, GIS analysts, IT infrastructure engineers, UX/UI designer, and geotechnical and structural engineers; technical consulting related to seismicity, geohazards, and fragility; reviewing and validating application source codes; reviewing technical and design specifications; conducting workshops; and working with supported LOBs to improve data integrity, earthquake prioritization, and damage models.
San Diego County Water Authority, Pipeline Seismic Vulnerability Assessment and Repair Time Estimates, San Diego, CA (March 2020 – March 2022). Seismic reliability assessment of over 400 miles of water transmission pipelines through San Diego and Riverside counties. Seismic hazards include strong ground shaking, fault rupture, and liquefaction. Study included developing and managing a field program, assessing of vulnerabilities and system outages, and developing mitigation projects. Based on detailed review of existing geotechnical and regional mapping data and field reconnaissance, 46 critical locations with high risk of earthquake-induced permanent ground deformation were identified and evaluated. Pipelines were evaluated using nonlinear strain-based finite element analyses coupled with empirical fragilities. Probabilistic analyses were performed using Monte Carlo simulations and process simulation techniques to develop realistic estimates of restoration times. Pipeline vulnerability and consequence of failure was evaluated at each critical location. Pre-earthquake mitigation measures and post-earthquake repair techniques were evaluated and included in recommendations with consideration given to risk rankings.
Education
MS, Civil Engineering,
Geotechnical Emphasis:
University of California,
Berkeley, 2015 BA, Earth and Planetary
Science, Geophysics
Emphasis: University of
California, Berkeley, 2013
Years in Practice
810
Registration
Professional Engineer
CA 87643
WA 19110004
Memberships
American Society of Civil
Engineers (ASCE)
Certifications
State of California Disaster
Service Worker
Professional History
InfraTerra, Inc.,
San Francisco, California
2017– Present
Fugro Consultants, Inc.
Walnut Creek, California
2015 – 2017
..
Item 12 Page 51 of 64
Jenny Taing,
PE
Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District, Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update, Sonoma, CA (February 2021 – December 2021) Project manager for the 2021 update of 2016 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) for Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District. Study included evaluation of natural hazards affecting 150 miles of sewer and raw water pipelines, wastewater treatment plant, pump and lift stations, and reclamation reservoirs. Wastewater treatment plant facilities were evaluated using ASCE 41-17 (Tier 1 and 2) and ACI 350.3-06. The update identified additional vulnerabilities and Mitigation Actions. Duties included developing and conducting site reconnaissance program, evaluation of District assets, conducting workshops with various District divisions, and update of the LHMP document. Sonoma County Water Authority, Natural Hazard Reliability Update, Sonoma, CA (April 2020 – July 2022) Update of 2008 natural hazard reliability
assessment, including more detailed evaluation of the Wohler-Mirabel area. Seismic hazards include strong ground shaking and liquefaction.
Study includes updated assessment of aqueduct vulnerability, assessment of system outage models and times, and development of viable mitigation projects.
PG&E, Seismic Analysis of 115kV Electrical Transmission Lines, San Francisco, CA (February 2020 – December 2021).
Seismic reliability assessment of nine buried 115kV electrical transmission lines. Seismic hazards include strong ground shaking and liquefaction.
Study included development of new hazard curves for the San Andreas and Hayward scenario earthquakes as well as total hazard from active and potentially active faults in the Bay Area, development of permanent ground deformation from liquefaction, numerical analysis models for each line, and Monte Carlo analyses to develop fragility curves for each distinct line segment. Each line was divided into multiple segments to capture variations in subsurface conditions and changes in alignment.
Southern California Edison (SCE), Seismic Assessment of Peakers and Powerhouses, Various Cities, California (October 2018 – December 2020) Seismic assessment of building structures to develop seismic fragility parameters for twelve SCE generation facilities. InfraTerra conducted site assessments at each powerhouse to review as-built conditions, evaluate geologic hazards, and collect information on structural design of the powerhouse buildings and other building structures critical for power generation. Ms. Taing also participated in a two-day Risk Assessment Workshop to conduct a screening-level evaluation of secondary seismic hazards and develop related input regarding consequences for incorporation into the logic model. Mitigation options were developed for the facilities.
Contra Costa Water District, High-Level Liquefaction Assessment, Contra Costa County, California (August 2018 – March 2019) Seismic risk screening study of an approximately 22-mile segment of the Contra Costa Canal alignment. The seismic risk screening includes liquefaction analyses, a high-level assessment of landslides, and a simplified quantification of hazard and canal fragility for sections identified to have moderate to high seismic hazard. Data from approximately 100 borings provided by the District and publicly available information such as DWR Wells, Geotracker, and Caltrans were utilized to quantify the severity of liquefaction hazard. The consequences of liquefaction were also evaluated for key siphons and tunnels along the canal.
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, Seismic Vulnerability Study, Lake Elsinore, California (July 2018 – February 2019) Seismic reliability assessment of the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District’s (EVMWD) water and wastewater systems, whichincludes about 685 miles of pipelines, 51 pump stations, 38 active lift stations, 82 reservoirs, 2 water treatment plants, and 3 water reclamation facilities. EVMWD facilities are vulnerable to strong ground shaking, liquefaction, and fault rupture hazards. The seismically active Elsinore fault cuts through EVMWD’s system, which results in 38 fault crossings of backbone water pipelines and 45 fault crossings of key gravity and force mains for sewer pipelines. Seismic vulnerabilities were evaluation a prioritized list of mitigation measures, including block-by-block maps of pipeline fault rupture hazard and identification of pipelines vulnerable to liquefaction-induced damage, were developed.
City of Forest Grove, Water System Seismic Resiliency Plan, Forest Grove, Oregon (2017 – April 2019) Seismic reliability assessment of the City of Forest Grove’s (CFG) water system, which includes the intake facilities within the watershed, over 100 miles of pipelines, pump stations, underground tanks, and treatment facilities. Conducted slope stability evaluations for the existing tank reservoirs, vulnerability assessments of the pipelines and water system facilities, and developed mitigation projects and planning level cost to improve the resiliency of the water system.
Client Confidential – Multi-National Corporation, Seismic Risk Assessments, Various Locations, Worldwide (2017 – present) Desktop studies for over 500 buildings in over 130 cities worldwide to characterize site conditions and evaluate geohazard risks, including surface fault rupture, liquefaction, settlement, lateral spread, ground lurching, landslide, and tsunami hazards.
PG&E Geosciences, Technical Support, Various Locations, California (2017 – Present) Technical support to PG&E Geosciences, including full-time technical support from April 2019 to October 2019 where she managed the Transmission Integrity Management Program geohazards field reconnaissance program, conducted geohazards and pipeline field reconnaissance, reviewed LiDAR data to support geohazard assessments, and oversaw geohazard mitigation projects. Annual support includes collaboration with PG&E Geosciences for field reconnaissance of geohazards, typically consisting of 600-900 sites per year.
Selected Publications
Taing, J., Nisar, A., Hitchcock, C., Bates, M., and Blackmun, R., 2022, Regional-Scale Seismic Vulnerability Assessment of Medium-Sized Water and Wastewater Systems, Proceedings of the ASCE Lifelines 2021-2022 Conference, University of California, Los Angeles, February 7—11, 2022.
Greenfield, M.W., Estep, T.M., Taing, J., and Hitchcock, C., 2024, A probabilistic extension of existing site-specific liquefaction triggering and liquefaction manifestation methods for regional scale evaluations, Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, vol.182, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2024.108711
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Item 12 Page 52 of 64
Joshua Goodman, PG, CEG
Senior Engineering Geologist
Experience Summary
Mr. Goodman is a Professional Geologist (PG) and Certified Engineering Geologist (CEG) with over fifteen years of experience characterizing and assessing seismic, geotechnical and geologic hazards for critical and large infrastructure projects, including: nuclear power plants, water conveyance structures, pipelines(oil, gas and water), electric utility corridors, LNG terminals, well platforms and casings, transportation and treated wastewater tunnels, hazardous waste storage facilities, schools and hospitals, and facility-siting studies. His experience includes the application of neotectonics, structural geology, tectonic geomorphology, and Quaternary stratigraphy to engineering consulting projects in both onshore and offshore environments. He has expertise applying a range of investigation techniques such as fault trenching, field and desktop-based geologic and geomorphic mapping, structural and tectonic modelling, rock mass characterization, interpretation of stereo aerial photography and digital elevation data, seismic reflection interpretation and synthesis with gravity and magnetic data, test pit and borehole logging, construction excavation mapping, and use of tephrochronology to constrain timing and rates of fault activity.
Selected Project Experience
Fault Trench Investigation, 101 Blossom Hill Road, Los Gatos, CA. (2024) Senior Geologist — Lead Geologist for a fault trench investigation of the Berrocal fault for a proposed mixed- use residential and commercial development in an urbanized environment. Responsibilities included developing exploration plan, oversite of up to five junior geologists, stratigraphic and structural interpretations, interactions with client and 3rd party peer reviewer, and tectonic geomorphic mapping of the site area using early development stereoair photographs and lidar.
Geotechnical Investigation, Northgate Road, Yerba Buena Island, CA. (2024) Senior Geologist — Lead Engineering Geologist foran investigation into a storm-related slope failure that had the potential to impact an adjacent roadway and utility pipelines. To help evaluate the slope stability and provide geologic input for a long-term repair, I performed geologic mapping of the slope and underlying sea cliffs, interpreted early-development stereo air photographs, and reviewed soil and rock core samples to characterize the subsurface stratigraphy and rock mass properties.
Fault Trench Investigation, Pipeline DFM 1303-05 Realignment, Santa Rosa, CA. (2023) Senior Geologist — In support of the realignment of a 6-inch gas transmission pipeline, performed logging of approximately 725 linear feet of fault trenches across the main trace of the Holocene-active Rodgers Creek fault zone in Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve near Santa Rosa.Trench data were integrated with published fault datasets and geomorphic mapping of the fault zone using lidar, satellite imagery and aerial photography.Dataset was used to characterize primary and secondary fault deformation hazard zones along the proposed realignment corridor for input into pipeline vulnerability and stress-strain analyses.
Fault Trench Investigation, Sites Reservoir Project, Maxwell, CA. (2023) Senior Geologist — Logged over 1,000 linear feet of trenches as part of the paleoseismic trenching program for the Sites Reservoir Project. The trench data were used to assess location, geometry, width, and recency of activity of strike-slip and flexural-slip faults that were previously mapped near both portals of a proposed intake- outtake facility. Fieldwork was performed in conformance with a rigorous Health and Safety Program. Results from the trenches are being used to inform the siting, design, and construction of proposed facility layouts, and as input for probabilistic fault displacement hazard analysis (PFDHA).
Storm Damage Emergency Response Roadway Repair, Tuolumne County, CA. (2023) Senior Geologist — Geologic mapping of gabion retaining wall foundation excavations and test pit logging along a critical roadway of the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System. The roadway was damaged by debris flow, mudflow and rotational slumps following heavy rains in the winter of 2022-2023. My role included ensuring appropriate bearing materials were exposed within the foundation excavations, providing recommendations for maximum allowable cut-slope angles, and characterizing the thickness and failure characteristics of the rotational slump.
Fault Trench Investigation, 50 Los Gatos-Saratoga Road, Los Gatos, CA. (2022) Senior Project Geologist — Served as Project Manager and Lead Geologist for a fault rupture hazard investigation of a proposed 8.5-acre residential development in an urban environment. Performed detailed geomorphic mapping of the site using early development stereo aerial photographs, and logged a 230-foot- Education
MS Geology, San Francisco
State University, San
Francisco, CA (2010)
BA Geology, University of
Montana, Missoula, MT
(2000)
Years in Practice
17 Registration
Certified Engineering
Geologist, California No.
2608 (2014)
Professional Geologist,
California No. 8793 (2010)
Awards
University Distinguished
Graduate Student Award,
College of Science and
Engineering, San Francisco
State University, 2010
Chevron Scholar Award,
2010
Best Graduate Student
Presentation Award,
Geological Society of
America, Cordilleran
Section Meeting, 2009
Professional History
InfraTerra, Inc.,
San Francisco, California
2023– Present
Langan Engineering &
Environmental Services
San Francisco, California
2020– 2023
Fugro USA Land, Inc.
Walnut Creek, California
2012– 2020
William Lettis &
Associates, Inc.,
Walnut Creek, California
2007, 2010– 2012
..
Item 12 Page 53 of 64
Joshua Goodman,
PG, CEG
long by 12-foot-deep trench across a mapped trace of the Shannon fault. Findings from the trench investigation were accepted by the Town’s geologic peer reviewer.
Fault Investigation, Confidential Retail Building, Beverly Hills, CA. (2022-2023) Senior Project Geologist — Provided technical oversight, client interfacing, and fault characterization for a commercial development located in the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone for the Santa Monica fault. The fault analysis included synthesis of a large data set of over 100 subsurface exploration points including: large-diameter bucket auger borings, small-diameter continuous soil cores, CPT soundings, radiocarbon and soil stratigraphic age dates, and deep seismic reflection. Overlapping large-diameter borings were used in lieu of fault trenches due to the presence of existing buildings and underground utilities, and the thickness of Holocene soils, which extend approximately 25 feet below existing grades.
Results of the investigation were used to establish a fault setback zone. Findings from the trench investigation were accepted by the City’s geologic peer reviewer.
Fault Trench Investigation, North Highlands Development Area, Big Sky, MT. (2021-2024) Senior Project Geologist — Served as Project Manager and Lead Geologist for a fault rupture hazard investigation for a single-family residential development planned in an undeveloped alpine environment. Used LiDAR data to identify a broad zone of non-tectonic extensional faults in the break-away zone of a deep-seated, translational bedrock landslide complex. These features had not been identified during the original geotechnical investigation, and were not shown on published geohazards maps issued by the State. The subsequent field investigation included detailed logging of ten trenches and tectonic geomorphic mapping. The trenches exposed numerous extensional shear zones that deform surficial deposits and terminate within the topsoil. Results from the study included a structural setback map that delineated safe buildable areas.
Fault Crossing Evaluation, Westside Purple Line Extension Section 2, Los Angeles, CA. (2018-2019) Senior Geologist — Performed detailed core logging, coordination of field personnel, data compilation, analysis, and reporting in support of engineering design for the Purple Line Section 2 tunnel crossing of the Santa Monica fault. Eighteen continuous core holes were drilled to depths of up to 350 feet along Wilshire Boulevard using HQ wireline techniques. Data from the investigation were used to characterize the location, width, geometry, and fault activity at the depths of the proposed tunnel-fault crossing. Results from the geologic analysis allowed the design team to reduce the length of special lining needed to mitigate future displacement events on the Santa Monica fault.
Probabilistic Fault Displacement Hazard Analysis, Anchor Field Development, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore LA. (2018-2019) Senior Geologist —To support pre-FEED and final engineering design of suction caisson arrays and petroleum drill centers, which will be located in approximately 5,000 feet of water, performed a quantitative characterization of salt-related faults (salt tectonics) and developed logic trees for probabilistic fault displacement hazard analysis (PFDHA). Provided guidance to the Client and project team on fault selection, horizon mapping and age dating, and technical approach and scope-of-work development for future work.
Joint Water Pollution Control Plant Effluent Outfall Tunnel, Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA. (2014-2016) Senior Project Geologist — Performed detailed analysis and characterization of the Palos Verdes fault zone where it will be crossed by a proposed 20-foot-diameter treated wastewater tunnel. Interpreted project-acquired, high-resolution 2D seismic reflection data, which were synthesized with pre-development topographic maps, stereo aerial photos, surface bedrock mapping, geotechnical borings, and historical oil and gas well records to characterize the location, width and kinematics of the fault zone where it undergoes a restraining bend. Results from the analysis were used to reduce uncertainty in the number and location of active fault strands crossed by the tunnel, and allowed the design team to focus the tunnel support elements on the critical fault crossings. The fault characterization was used as input into probabilistic fault displacement hazard analysis (PFDHA).
Integrated Geologic Mapping and Geophysical Interpretation, Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, San Luis Obispo County, CA. (2011-2014) Project Geologist —To reduce uncertainty in the seismic source model and probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) used for the power plant relicensing effort, performed detailed, field-based geologic mapping of deformed Neogene bedrock along geophysical data acquisition corridors; and subsequent interpretation of onshore 2D and 3D seismic reflection, tomography/velocity, gravity, and helicopter-magnetics. The geophysical data were integrated with the surface geologic mapping to develop restorable geologic cross sections and to characterize fault locations, geometries, and kinematics to depths of 10 kilometers. All activities were performed under a rigorous nuclear Quality Assurance work plan.
Iron Wash Fault Mapping, Proposed Nuclear Power Plant, Green River, UT. (2012) Senior Staff Geologist — In support of a siting study for a proposed new nuclear power plant, performed geologic mapping and characterization of the Iron Wash fault zone, which is located within a 25-mile radius circle of the site. A result of this investigation was that we were able to demonstrate evidence for the absence of Quaternary activity on the Iron Wash fault. All field and desktop-based activities were performed under a Quality Assurance work plan.
Serra Fault Zone Pipeline Crossing, San Mateo County, CA. (2010) Senior Staff Geologist — Detailed geologic and tectonic geomorphic mapping along a treated freshwater pipeline corridor where it crosses Holocene-active traces of the Serra fault zone. Logged continuous vertical and angled rock borings, constructed geologic cross sections, created fault rupture hazard zonation maps, and coordinated subcontractors. ..
Item 12 Page 54 of 64
Wen
-Yi Yen
Structural Engineering
Experience Summary
Ms. Yen has 3 years of research experience and 4 year of consulting experience in earthquake engineering, nonlinear analysis, and building performance assessments. Her past projects focus on finite element analysis of critical infrastructure, soil-structure interaction analysis, fracture mechanics of structural components, performance-based earthquake engineering of tall buildings and probabilistic selections of earthquake ground motions.
Seismic Analysis of Buildings • Seismic risk assessments of office buildings in multiple locations around the world for a Fortune Global 500 company. Performed seismic structural evaluations for buildings using the ASCE 41-17 Tier 1 screening procedures. • Seismic inventory assessment for the Seismic Inventory of Essential Facilities in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties for California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). • Seismic assessments for the anchorage of the electrical substations for East Bay Municipa l
Utility District (EBMUD). • Seismic assessments for waste water facility buildings of Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA). Performed seismic structural evaluationsfor buildings using the ASCE 41-17 Tier 1 screening procedures. • Seismic assessment, retrofit strategies and policy implications for vulnerable existing steel buildings, funded by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Fracture-critical material model is developed to simulate the brittle failures of building components, commonly observed i n
old steel buildings. Vulnerabilities are indicated for design conventions through time. • Seismic safety and engineering consulting services for the earthquake safety implementatio n
program for the City and County of San Francisco. Worked with Department of Building Inspection (SFDBI) and developed the tall building (>240 ft) inventory for San Francisco City. The performance of new steel buckling restrained braced frame (BRBF) office buildings is evaluated, and recommendations are provided according to discussions with city representatives and stakeholders. Infrastructure System Assessment • Nonlinear soil-structure interaction (SSI) analysis using ANSYS of nine underground 115 kV pipetype cables subject to earthquake-induced lateral spreading and settlement for PG&E. • Nonlinear soil-structure interaction (SSI) analysis using ANSYS to evaluate water pipe performance under thrust type movements for Seattle Public Utilities(SPU). Parameter studies were performed and recommendations were derived correspondingly. • Reviewed different types of water pipeline joints and mapped geographic locations via GIS to facilitate assessments of leakage for San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA). • Nonlinear soil-structure interaction (SSI) analysis using ANSYS to evaluate performance of collector wells in water supply facility systems for Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA).
Probabilistic Aspects of Ground Motions • Demonstration of the efficacy of the simulated ground motions for collapse assessment ,
funded by Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC). Recorded ground motions are selecte d
through conditional probability approach and compared with simulated ground motions .
Structural Design • Designed structural components of five tall buildings in New York City and conducted site visits to review the construction progress.
Technical Skills • Software & Tools: ANSYS, OpenSees, LS -DYNA, ETABS, SAP2000, SAFE, S-Frame, S-Concrete, S-
Steel, Rhino (Grasshopper), GIS, Excel VBA, AutoCAD, Revit, Python, C++, Java, R, Matlab, TCL, PHP, SQL, Unix
Education
MS, Structural
Engineering, Stanford
University, 2018
BS, Civil Engineering,
National Taiwan
University, 2016
Years in Practice 4
Memberships
American Society of Civil
Engineers
Professional History
InfraTerra, Inc.
San Francisco, CA
Staff Engineer
2020 – Present
Stanford University,
Research Assistant
2018 – 2020
Skidmore, Owings &
Merrill, NY
Engineering Intern
2017
Bechtel Corporation
Taipei, Taiwan
Engineering Intern
2014 ..
Item 12 Page 55 of 64
Rick Zeeb
Cartography and GIS
Experience Summary
Mr. Zeeb has over 30 years of cartographic, GIS and graphic design experience. He studied cartography at the University of California at Berkeley when computerized graphics and mapping werein their infancy, learning new technologies while studying traditional cartographic drafting methods and conventions as well. Rick spent 15 years as Graphics Director/Cartographer at William Lettis & Associates, Inc./Fugro Consultants, Inc. in Walnut Creek, California, leading a team of highly skilled cartographers and graphic designers in creating maps, figures, technical drawings, and marketing materials. He created advanced Illustrator templates, developed an extensive style guide, produced a comprehensive Illustrator methodology manual, and created an extensive set of map styles and working methodologies within ArcGIS. He developed a QA–approved workflow protocol between the Graphics and GIS Departments, and was also key in developing server and file system layout and conventions. Mr. Zeeb has also run his own design firm, zzzeeb design group, working with clients such as Peet’s Coffee and Tea, Microsoft WebTV, Stanford University Press, Pacific Gas & Electric, University of Southern California, Signature Theatres, and Jack London Square. He has also worked for the mapping firms Cartifact in Los Angeles, and Eureka Cartography in Berkeley.
Throughout his career he has remained on the cutting edge of cartographic technique and map design.
Mr. Zeeb’s main software tools are the Adobe Creative Cloud software suite and ArcGIS. He is also an experienced user of the Microsoft Office suite, Natural Scene Designer and MAPublisher, and knows HTML, CSS, PostGIS and SQL.
His areas of cartographic expertise include:
Inclusion in Atlas of Design, Volume 5 His cartographic design for the The Teton Map won inclusion in the prestigious Atlas of Design, a bi-annual publication by NACIS highlighting outstanding map design during the two previous years.
Geology and Geologic Hazard Mapping During his tenure at William Lettis & Associates, Inc. and Fugro Consultants, Inc., Mr. Zeeb, working with a team of geologists, created a tremendous number of geologic maps of areas throughout the U.S. and abroad. These maps often highlighted potential geologic hazards from earthquake, liquefaction, landslide, and flood, and were created for clients such as Pacific Gas and Electric, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S.G.S, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
Water System and Watershed Mapping Mr. Zeeb has also worked on a variety of hydro-related projects including dam safety investigations, penstock hazard evaluations, water storage and delivery system reports, wetlands evaluations, and watershed studies.
Recreational/Informational Maps Mr. Zeeb has created many custom recreational, real estate, land use, and university campus maps and associated posters and brochures. These include a major land use map of Manhattan, detailed maps of downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood, recreational maps of Los Angeles’ Griffith Park, and maps of the campus of the University of Southern California.
Proposed Nuclear Site Studies Mapping Mr. Zeeb has created extensive maps and graphics for site studies and investigations for many domestic and foreign proposed nuclear power plants. This involved working closely with geologists, geophysicists and geotechnical engineers to create map products approved under NRC guidelines and ISO9000 QA/QC procedures. Clients included Bechtel, Duke Energy, Enercon, and KEPCO (Korea).
Project Experience
Pacific Gas & Electric GIS and cartographic support for a variety of projects including mapping the complete PG&E hydro system in California, 2016-present.
California Department of Water Resources Completed detailed landslide maps of Lake Oroville and Pyramid Lake, 2016-2019.
Portland Water Bureau Provided cartographic services for the creation of Liquefaction, Ground Settlement, and Lateral Spread Map hazard maps, April, 2015.
U.S Army Corps of Engineers Provided cartographic and drafting support for major urban and non-urban levee investigation in California’s Central Valley, 2011.
Education
BA, Geography: University
of California at Berkeley,
Berkeley, California, 1990
Graduate Certificate in GIS:
Portland State University,
Portland, Oregon, 2015
Years in Practice – 34
Memberships
North American
Cartographic Information Society (NACIS)
Association of American
Geographers(AAG)
..
Item 12 Page 56 of 64
Rick Zeeb
Cartography and GIS
Experience Summary
Mr. Zeeb has over 30 years of cartographic, GIS and graphic design experience. He studied cartography at the University of California at Berkeley when computerized graphics and mapping werein their infancy, learning new technologies while studying traditional cartographic drafting methods and conventions as well. Rick spent 15 years as Graphics Director/Cartographer at William Lettis & Associates, Inc./Fugro Consultants, Inc. in Walnut Creek, California, leading a team of highly skilled cartographers and graphic designers in creating maps, figures, technical drawings, and marketing materials. He created advanced Illustrator templates, developed an extensive style guide, produced a comprehensive Illustrator methodology manual, and created an extensive set of map styles and working methodologies within ArcGIS. He developed a QA–approved workflow protocol between the Graphics and GIS Departments, and was also key in developing server and file system layout and conventions. Mr. Zeeb has also run his own design firm, zzzeeb design group, working with clients such as Peet’s Coffee and Tea, Microsoft WebTV, Stanford University Press, Pacific Gas & Electric, University of Southern California, Signature Theatres, and Jack London Square. He has also worked for the mapping firms Cartifact in Los Angeles, and Eureka Cartography in Berkeley.
Throughout his career he has remained on the cutting edge of cartographic technique and map design.
Mr. Zeeb’s main software tools are the Adobe Creative Cloud software suite and ArcGIS. He is also an experienced user of the Microsoft Office suite, Natural Scene Designer and MAPublisher, and knows HTML, CSS, PostGIS and SQL.
His areas of cartographic expertise include:
Inclusion in Atlas of Design, Volume 5 His cartographic design for the The Teton Map won inclusion in the prestigious Atlas of Design, a bi-annual publication by NACIS highlighting outstanding map design during the two previous years.
Geology and Geologic Hazard Mapping During his tenure at William Lettis & Associates, Inc. and Fugro Consultants, Inc., Mr. Zeeb, working with a team of geologists, created a tremendous number of geologic maps of areas throughout the U.S. and abroad. These maps often highlighted potential geologic hazards from earthquake, liquefaction, landslide, and flood, and were created for clients such as Pacific Gas and Electric, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S.G.S, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
Water System and Watershed Mapping Mr. Zeeb has also worked on a variety of hydro-related projects including dam safety investigations, penstock hazard evaluations, water storage and delivery system reports, wetlands evaluations, and watershed studies.
Recreational/Informational Maps Mr. Zeeb has created many custom recreational, real estate, land use, and university campus maps and associated posters and brochures. These include a major land use map of Manhattan, detailed maps of downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood, recreational maps of Los Angeles’ Griffith Park, and maps of the campus of the University of Southern California.
Proposed Nuclear Site Studies Mapping Mr. Zeeb has created extensive maps and graphics for site studies and investigations for many domestic and foreign proposed nuclear power plants. This involved working closely with geologists, geophysicists and geotechnical engineers to create map products approved under NRC guidelines and ISO9000 QA/QC procedures. Clients included Bechtel, Duke Energy, Enercon, and KEPCO (Korea).
Project Experience
Pacific Gas & Electric GIS and cartographic support for a variety of projects including mapping the complete PG&E hydro system in California, 2016-present.
California Department of Water Resources Completed detailed landslide maps of Lake Oroville and Pyramid Lake, 2016-2019.
Portland Water Bureau Provided cartographic services for the creation of Liquefaction, Ground Settlement, and Lateral Spread Map hazard maps, April, 2015.
U.S Army Corps of Engineers Provided cartographic and drafting support for major urban and non-urban levee investigation in California’s Central Valley, 2011.
Education
BA, Geography: University
of California at Berkeley,
Berkeley, California, 1990
Graduate Certificate in GIS:
Portland State University,
Portland, Oregon, 2015
Years in Practice – 34
Memberships
North American
Cartographic Information Society (NACIS)
Association of American
Geographers(AAG)
..
Item 12 Page 57 of 64
Mike Greenfield, PE, PhD
5733 SE 70th Ave. • Portland, OR 97206
Phone: 540.392.1741
[email protected]
Advanced geotechnical and earthquake engineering solutions Experience Summary
Dr. Greenfield has nearly 20 of consulting and research experience in geotechnical and earthquake engineering in seismically active and landslide-prone regions. Since 2017, he has served as Principal Engineer of Greenfield Geotechnical, an emerging small business focused on developing solutions to challenging geotechnical and earthquake engineering
projects. He has worked extensively on regional-scale landslide hazard and risk projects. Dr. Greenfield’s areas of expertise include:
Seismic hazard analysis and design recommendations. Dr.
Greenfield has performed seismic hazard analyses and provided design recommendations for many different types of facilities, including dams, buildings, bridges, docks, pipelines, and embedded structures. He is familiar with a range of different design approaches, including design code-based probabilistic seismic hazard analyses (PSHA) for relatively simple projects, risk-based design for targeted risks, and performance-based analyses for critical facilities that can include hazard assessments for many return periods. He also specializes in soft soil ground motion amplification and is an expert in nonlinear finite element deformation analyses with OpenSees.
Notable seismic hazard projects include probabilistic site response modeling along a 44-mile-long buried water facility in the Sacramento River Delta in California and the University of Washington’s M9 project, which required seismic hazard analyses for a possible Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake at hundreds of locations across the Pacific Northwest. With engineers at the USGS, Dr. Greenfield recently developed a method to evaluate alternative intensity measures for selecting and scaling ground motions that may be more appropriate for liquefaction deformations.
Dr. Greenfield has recently completed several notable geohazard and resiliency projects in the Portland metropolitan region with members of the project team, including the Portland Water Bureau’s Seismic Hazard Study and the City of Forest Grove’s Water System Seismic Resiliency Plan, and the City of Hillsboro Upper System Water improvements.
Liquefaction and earthquake mitigation design. Dr. Greenfield is a nationally known expert in the effects of liquefaction, including ground motion amplification, settlement, lateral spreading deformation, and structural loading. His professional practice is focused on analyzing liquefaction hazards and designing mitigation measures to reduce ground deformation following earthquakes to tolerable levels. Dr.
Greenfield recently developed a liquefaction hazard deformation analysis tool for Pacific Gas and Electric to evaluate liquefaction hazards and deformations for their entire service area near San Francisco. He was awarded a NEHRP grant in 2021 to investigate the liquefaction hazard of the levees surrounding the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta of California. Dr. Greenfield has also managed field investigation and seismic hazard analyses for the Bonneville Power Administration’s River Crossing Seismic Hazard Analysis, which included deformation analyses of the 500 kV transmission lines crossing the Willamette and Columbia Rivers.
Education
PhD, Civil & Environmental
Engineering, University of
Washington, 2017
MS, Civil & Environmental
Engineering, Virginia Tech,
2008
BS, Civil & Environmental
Engineering, Virginia Tech,
2006
Registration
Professional Engineer
OR 85561
WA 58061
Emerging Small Business
OR 11136
Years in Practice: 18
Professional History
Greenfield Geotechnical
LLC
Principal Engineer
Portland, Oregon
2017 – Present
University of Washington
Research assistant
Seattle, Washington
2014 – 2017
GRI
Project engineer
Beaverton, Oregon
2008 – 2014
US Bureau of Reclamation
Technical Service Center
Intern, GS-7
Denver, CO
2007..
Item 12 Page 58 of 64
EMILIANO VINUYA, P.E. | Lead Estimator
Qualifications
Emiliano Vinuya is a registered Professional Engineer with over 33 years of construction industry experience specializing in project controls, cost estimating, scheduling, inspection, constructability review, and value engineering. Mr. Vinuya has provided cost estimating services on a number of water/wastewater projects and has worked on numerous EBMUD cost estimating projects.
Experience
EBMUD Main Wastewater Treatment Plant (MWWTP) Seismic
Structural Evaluation and Conceptual Design Project, CA: Mr. Vinuya provided conceptual cost estimating on the following projects: • EBMUD Dichlorination Control Bldg. Seismic Retrofit • EBMUD Digester Gallery & OH Pipe Chase • EBMUD Effluent Channel • EBMUD EPS Seismic Retrofit • EBMUD Field Services Building v2 • EBMUD Influent Pump Station • EBMUD No. Lab Addition & So. Admin Addition Seismic Retrofit • EBMUD Maintenance Center • EBMUD Outfall Pipe Retrofit • EBMUD Primary Sedimentation Tanks 1-10 • EBMUD Primary Sedimentation Tanks 11-16 • EBMUD Sledge Dewatering Building Kingdome/Industrial & Michigan Street Separation Project Studies, Seattle, WA: The project included construction of a new sanitary sewer system to replace the existing system. Project objective was to achieve SO reduction to one overflow event at each SO per year, or less. Mr. Vinuya provided cost estimating services during the pre-design phase. Project cost: $75M.
Contra Costa Water District Seismic Reliability & Improvement Program, CA: The study was to provide conceptual-level construction cost estimates for the strengthening and rehabilitation recommendations for the construction of a new pump station and pipeline stretching 30 miles to ensure an uninterrupted flow of water in a major earthquake. Mr. Vinuya as part of the cost estimating team prepared nine cost estimates. Estimated program cost: $100 million.
Central Contra Costa Sanitary District Plant Office Building Improvements, Martinez, CA: The Scope of work included renovation of men’s & women’s restrooms & seismic rehabilitation of the Plant Operation Building.
The scope includes demolishing (e) restrooms and construct a new one w/ bigger area at existing location; install wall bracings using steel wide flanges & steel tubing & roof collectors using steel channels at specified locations. Mr. Vinuya provided estimating of probable construction cost.
Santa Clara Valley Water District Water Treatment Improvement Projects, Santa Clara County: $30 million improvements (Stage I) at Penitencia, Santa Teresa and Rinconada Water Treatment Plants in San Jose and Los Gatos. Mr. Vinuya provided civil cost estimating. Penitencia WTP includes demolition works at limo silo and powdered activated carbon equipment, chemical storage area and coagulant and sedimentation basin, new works at yard piping, ferric chloride/alum feed and storage and potassium permanganate facility. Rinconada WTP includes demolition works at alum storage area, PAC feed and storage areas, new works at yard piping, warehouse storage facility, potassium permanganate facility, powdered activated carbon facility, cationic polymer storage and feed and associated equipment. Santa Teresa WTP includes new yard piping and potassium permanganate facility. Design is at 90% Construction Documents.
Highlights • 33+ years construction industry
experience
• Registered Professional Engineer • Specialized experience in the areas of cost estimating,
scheduling, inspection,
constructability review, value
engineering analysis
• Experienced working with public
agencies
Education • Bachelor of Science in Civil
Engineering
Registration • California Registered Civil
Engineer #C54704
Affiliation ASCE, AACE
..
Item 12 Page 59 of 64
HCM
E. Vinuya
EBMUD San Antonio Wastewater Treatment Plant, Alameda, CA: Civil cost estimating for preliminary design, 50% & 90% design development and final construction drawings and specifications for a 51 mgd wet weather facility and its related installations. Included in the wet weather facilities are an influent pump station with digestion tanks; submersible pumps; influent manual bar racks; grit removal facilities with grit return; 175,000 gallon grit removal basins (includes wet well and inlet channel volume); chlorination and dechlorination facilities; washdown equipment and utility water pump station; 36' effluent pipeline, submerged outfall, and discharge structure (250' in length); control building including locker rooms, restrooms and office; standby generator; site work including paving, grading and drainage; and landscaping. Project cost: $13.2 million.
EBMUD Wastewater Treatment Facilities Seismic Evaluation, Oakland, CA: Various structures of the facilities were constructed from 1957 to 1976. Due to a substantial number of structural code deficiencies that exist, seismic strengthening measures and equipment anchorages have to be done. The various structures involved are the influent pump station, aerated grit tank, primary sedimentation #1-10, primary sedimentation blower building, sludge dewatering building, operation center, oxygenation controls building, dechlorination building, digesters #1-4, oxygen production yard walls, channels, and gallerico. Provided a conceptual cost estimate for seismic strengthening and equipment anchorages for various structures. Project cost: $4 million.
Danville Pumping Plant Expansion, Danville, CA: Mr. Vinuya provided civil / structural / architectural and controls-related cost estimating services. Scope of work comprised of three elements: 1) Pumping Plant:
Construction of new 33-mgd Danville Pumping Plant No.2 building with related piping, furnishing and installing two 900-hp vertical turbine pumps and motors; constructing and paving an access road; construction of new site improvements, grading, demolition of existing buildings, appurtenances and yard piping; installation of landscaping. 2) Power System: new outdoor 27 kV metering switchgear, outdoor pad-mounted 5 kV and 21 kV primary power transformers, upgrade of the existing standby generator; construction of a 1,000 s.f. Power Building; furnish and install 480 V motor control center, 5 kV motor starters, Pumping Plant No. 2 kV switchgear, low voltage distribution transformers and panelboards, medium voltage high resistance grounding system for Pumping Plant No. 1, telephone main distribution frame and intermediate distribution frames, and demolition and integration of existing electrical distribution equipment. 3) Instrumentation: Construction of a new main control panel, local control panels, sensors and transmitters, programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and modules, fire alarm system, and demolition and integration of existing instrumentation and controls and plant distribution control and SCADA systems.
EBMUD Sacramento Joint Water Supply/ Pumping Stations Project, Northern California: Civil cost estimates for two new pumping stations, one at the American River with a 4,000 HP intake pumping plant and 29,000 l.f. of 78-inch-diameter pipe transmission line through the City of Sacramento to the Fairbairn Water Treatment Plant. The second pumping station is near the Fairbairn Plant, south of Highway 50 at Ramona Avenue, with a capacity of 10,500 HP and 52,200 l.f. of 96-inch-diameter steel pipe to the Folsom South Canal. Total Project cost: $156 million.
City of Hayward Mission 24” Aqueduct Seismic Improvement, Alameda County, CA: Construction of new alignment - 2,532 LF of 24”diameter steel water pipe to replace the existing along Mission Blvd. in Hayward CA.
Mr. Vinuya prepared cost estimating and preliminary scheduling services during the conceptual, design development and final construction design phases of the project. Estimated Construction Cost: $3.56 million.
National Park Service Seismic Rehabilitation and Repairs - Various ID/IQ Contracts, Various Sites – Western United States: Various ID/IQ contract with National Park Service involving structural seismic rehabilitation and repairs. Projects include: Aquatic NHL District Amphitheater Rehab, SF Maritime National Historical Park, CA; Perry Victory and International Peace Memorial Emergency Preservation, Ottawa County, OH; Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve Main Building Structural Evaluation, Alaska; Alcatraz Guard House Complex Seismic Retrofit in Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, CA; and Ohia Wing Structural & Seismic evaluation, Volcano House Hotel, Hawaii National Park. Role: Sr. Cost Estimator - Mr. Vinuya serves as Project Manager for cost estimating services. Estimated Construction Cost: Various. ..
Item 12 Page 60 of 64
InfraTerra
InfraTerra, Inc.
5 Third St, Suite 420
San Francisco, CA 94103
..
Item 12 Page 61 of 64
EXHIBIT B
SCHEDULE
..
Item 12 Page 62 of 64
Greenfield Hattin Hattin Subcons.
Rate: $/hr $ 260 $ 220 $ 135 $ 140 $ 245 $ 125 Total Labor $ 180 Total Markup Task No. Task Description Principal Senior Staff GIS /
CADD Principal Staff Cost Principal Cost 5%
1 Project Management and QA/QC 24 84
00 108 $ 24,720
0 0 $
-
0 $ - $
- $
- $ 24,720
1.1 Kick-off Meeting
448 $ 1,920 $ - $
- $
- $
- $ 1,920
1.2 Invoices, schedule, progress reports, budget control 24 24 $ 5,280 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 5,280
1.3 Coordination, meetings, communic. with City 40 40 $ 8,800 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 8,800
1.4 Internal meetings, sub management 16 16 $ 3,520 $
- $ - $ - $
- $ 3,520
1.5 Project Support and QA/QC 20 20 $ 5,200 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 5,200 2 Site Reconnaissance and Data Collection
4 40 640 108 $ 18,48000 $
-0 $ - $ 1,000 $ - $ 19,480
2.1 Data Collection and Review 24 24 $ 3,240 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 3,240
2.2 Site visits, preparation and post-processing 32 40 72 $ 12,440 $ - $
- $ 1,000 $ - $ 13,440
2.3 Understanding system operations48 12 $ 2,800 $
- $
- $ - $ - $ 2,800
3 Seismic Hazard Analysis8 28 24
0 60 $ 11,480
0 0 $ -0 $ - $ - $ - $ 11,480
3.1 Ground motions (PGA, PGV, Sa)4 16 20 $ 3,040 $
- $ - $ - $ - $ 3,040
3.2 Local site effects (Vs30)88 16 $ 2,840 $
- $ - $
- $
- $ 2,840
3.3 Surface fault rupture risk8 16 24 $ 5,600 $
- $ - $
- $
- $ 5,600
4 Liquefaction Assessment 16 48 60
0 100 $ 22,820 56 20 $ 16,220
0 $ 1,000 $ 811 $ 40,851
4.1 Data Collection and Review4 16 60 80 $ 12,660
8 $ 1,960 $
- $
- $ 98.00 $ 14,718
4.2 Geologic model8 16 $ 5,600 $ - $ - $ - $ 5,600
4.3 Liquefaction Analyses4 16 20 $ 4,560 48 20 $ 14,260 $ - $ 1,000 $ 713 $ 20,533
5 Structural Vulnerability Assessment 36 112 304
0 452 $ 75,04000 $
-0 $ - $ - $
- $ 75,040
5.1 Pipelines4 24 40 68 $ 11,720 $
- $ - $ - $ - $ 11,720
5.2 Wells4
8 24 36 $ 6,040 $
- $
- $
- $
- $ 6,040
5.3 Pump Stations4 20 40 64 $ 10,840 $
- $
- $
- $
- $ 10,840
5.4 Tanks (6 above ground, 1 buried, and 1 elevated) 24 60 200 284 $ 46,440 $ - $
- $
- $
- $ 46,440
6 Mitigation Strategies and Recommendations 42 88 80 80 290 $ 52,280 28 26 $ 10,110 40 $ 7,200 $ - $ 866 $ 70,456
6.1 Mitigation measures 16 40 56 $ 12,960 $
- $ - $
- $
- $ 12,960
6.2 Cost estimates28 10 $ 2,280 $
- 40 $ 7,200 $
- $ 360.00 $ 9,840
6.4 Draft and final report 24 40 80 80 224 $ 37,040 28 26 $ 10,110 $ - $
- $ 505.50 $ 47,656
Principal Senior Staff GIS Total Labor
Hours
Total Labor
Cost Principal Staff Greenfield Labor Cost Principal Hattin Expenses Subcons. Markup 5% Total Project
Cost
TOTAL 130 400 532 80 1,118 $ 204,820 84 46 $ 26,330 40 $ 7,200 $ 2,000 1,677 $ 242,027 Note:
This assumes a schedule of approximately 12 months and includes coordination of data collection with the City, meetings with the City to review interim work, and review of Draft report by the City.
Expenses
Total
Project Cost
InfraTerra Greenfield
InfraTerra Greenfield Geotehnical Hattin Cons. Manag., Inc.
Total Labor
Hours
Total Labor
Cost
InfraTerra City of Vernon Budget Proposal Rev0
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EXHIBIT C
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
PRACTICES PROVISIONS
A. Contractor certifies and represents that, during the performance of this Agreement, the contractor and each subcontractor shall adhere to equal opportunity employment practices to assure that applicants and employees are treated equally and are not discriminated against because of their race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, handicap, sex, or age. Contractor further certifies that it will not maintain any segregated facilities.
B. Contractor agrees that it shall, in all solicitations or advertisements for applicants for employment placed by or on behalf of Contractor, state that it is an "Equal Opportunity Employer" or that all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, handicap, sex or age.
C. Contractor agrees that it shall, if requested to do so by the City, certify that it has not, in the performance of this Agreement, discriminated against applicants or employees because of their membership in a protected class.
D. Contractor agrees to provide the City with access to, and, if requested to do so by City, through its awarding authority, provide copies of all of its records pertaining or relating to its employment practices, except to the extent such records or portions of such records are confidential or privileged under state or federal law.
E. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed in any manner as to require or permit any act which is prohibited by law.
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City Council Agenda Report
Meeting Date: May 20, 2025
From: Freddie Agyin, Director of Health and Environmental Control Department: Health and Environmental Control
Submitted by: Dulce Gonzalez, Management Analyst
Subject
Professional Services Agreement with Raftelis Financial Consultants, Inc. (Raftelis) for Solid Waste Management Consulting Services
Recommendation
A. Find that it is commercially unreasonable to rebid the proposed contract within three years, pursuant to Vernon Municipal Code Section 3.32.110 (B)(3); and B. Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute a Professional Services Agreement with Raftelis, in substantially the same form as submitted, for solid waste management consulting services for an amount not-to-exceed $205,000 over a five-year term.
Background
The Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) recognizes that an effective solid waste management system is essential for safeguarding public health, safety, and the environment in the City. Currently, the City utilizes a non-exclusive franchise system, with 16 permitted haulers providing waste collection services to residential and commercial customers.
Although this system has served the community well for many years, DHEC has identified the need for a comprehensive evaluation to assess its ongoing effectiveness and identify potential improvements. This evaluation will examine system performance, explore alternative models, and recommend a strategy aligned with the City’s long-term operational and environmental goals.
In accordance with Vernon Municipal Code (VMC) Section 3.32.080, the DHEC issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Solid Waste Management Consulting Services on March 10, 2025. In response to the RFP, the City received five proposals from qualified firms, which were evaluated based on their experience, cost, references, and responsiveness. After careful review, Raftelis was selected as the most qualified firm based on the collective ratings of the evaluators.
Pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 49520 et seq., the City issued a five-year notice to its franchisees on January 1, 2025, regarding the transition to an exclusive franchise system for solid waste management services. This notice fulfills the statutory requirement to inform franchisees about the shift from the current non-exclusive system to a future exclusive model, scheduled to take effect after the five-year notice period. Given the project's complexity, including the need to assess system performance, explore alternatives, and develop an implementation strategy, the City needs to have expert guidance throughout the evaluation and transition process. Therefore, executing this contract with Raftelis is critical to ensure necessary improvements are identified and implemented before the five-year notice period expires.
Pursuant to VMC Sections 3.32.220(B) and 3.32.110(B)(3), rebidding the contract within the next three years would be commercially unreasonable due to the specialized nature of the required services and the need for continuity during the evaluation and implementation phases.
Staff recommends that the City Council approve a Services Agreement with Raftelis for Solid Waste Management Consultant Services in the amount not to exceed $205,000 for a five-year ..
Item 13 Page 1 of 2
period. Pursuant to VMC Section 3.32.030(A), City Council Approval is required for the proposed agreement, as the value of the contract exceeds $100,000.
The proposed agreement has been reviewed and approved as to form by the City Attorney’s Office.
Fiscal Impact
The fiscal impact is not-to-exceed $205,000. Sufficient funds are available in the General Fund, Health Department, Technical Professional Services Account No. 011-020-200-529225 for the current fiscal year and will be budgeted in subsequent fiscal years.
Attachments
1. Solid Waste Management Consulting Service Agreement ..
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SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF VERNON AND RAFTELIS FINANCIAL CONSULTANTS, INC. FOR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
CONSULTING SERVICES
COVER PAGE
Contractor: Raftelis Financial Consultants, Inc.
Responsible Principal of Contract: Henrietta Locklear,
Senior VP
Notice Information - Contractor: Raftelis Financial Consultants, Inc 227 W Trade St #1400
Charlotte, NC 28202
Attention: Jennifer Porter,
Principal Consultant
Telephone: (347)979-4992
Notice Information - City: City of Vernon
4305 Santa Fe Avenue
Vernon, CA 90058
Attention: Freddie Agyin, Director of
Health and Environmental Control Dept.
Telephone: (323) 826-1448
Commencement Date: May 20, 2025
Termination Date: December 31, 2029
Consideration: Total not to exceed $205,000(includes all applicable sales tax); and more particularly
described in Exhibit B
Records Retention Period Three (3) years, pursuant to Section 11.20
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SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF VERNON AND RAFTELIS FINANCIAL CONSULTANTS, INC. FOR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT CONSULTING SERVICES This Agreement is made between the City of Vernon, a California charter City and California municipal corporation (“City”), and Raftelis Financial Consultants, Inc, a North Carolina corporation (“Contractor”).
The City and Contractor agree as follows: 1.0 EMPLOYMENT OF CONTRACTOR . City agrees to engage Contractor to
perform the services as hereinafter set forth as authorized by the City Council on May 20, 2025.
2.0 SCOPE OF SERVICES.
2.1 Contractor shall perform all work necessary to complete the services set forth in the City’s Request for Proposals issued on or about March 10, 2025, and titled RFP for Solid Waste Management Consulting Services, and Contractor's proposal to the City ("Proposal") dated March 27, 2025, Exhibit “A”, a copy which is attached to and incorporated into this Agreement by reference.
2.2 All services shall be performed to the satisfaction of City.
2.3 All services shall be performed in a competent, professional, and satisfactory manner in accordance with the prevailing industry standards for such services.
3.0 PERSONNEL.
3.1 Contractor represents that it employs, or will employ, at its own expense, all personnel required to perform the services under this Agreement.
3.2 Contractor shall not subcontract any services to be performed by it under this Agreement without prior written approval of City.
3.3 All of the services required hereunder will be performed by Contractor or by City approved subcontractors. Contractor, and all personnel engaged in the work, shall be fully qualified and authorized or permitted under State and local law to perform such services and shall be subject to approval by the City. 4.0 TERM.
The term of this Agreement shall commence on May 20, 2025 , and it shall continue until December 31, 2029, unless terminated at an earlier date pursuant to the provisions thereof.
5.0 COMPENSATION AND FEES.
5.1 Contractor has established rates for the City of Vernon which are comparable to and do not exceed the best rates offered to other governmental entities in and around Los Angeles County for the same services. For satisfactory and timely performance of
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the services, the City will pay Contractor in accordance with the payment schedule set forth in Exhibit“B” attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference.
5.2 Contractor's grand total compensation for the entire term of this Agreement, shall notexceed [state amount] without the prior authorization of the City, as appropriate, and written amendment of this Agreement.
5.3 Contractor shall, at its sole cost and expense, furnish all necessary and incidental labor, material, supplies, facilities, equipment, and transportation which may be required for furnishing services pursuant to this Agreement. Materials shall be of the highest quality. The above Agreementfee shall include all staff time and all clerical, administrative, overhead, insurance, reproduction, telephone, air travel, auto rental, subsistence, and all related costs and expenses.
5.4 City shall reimburse Contractor only for those costs or expenses specifically approved in this Agreement, or specifically approved in writing in advance by City.
Unless otherwise approved, such costs shall be limited and include nothing more than the following costs incurred by Contractor:
5.4.1 The actual costs of subcontractors for performance of any of the services that Contractor agrees to render pursuant to this Agreement, which have been approved in advance by City and awarded in accordance with this Agreement.
5.4.2 Approved reproduction charges.
5.4.3 Actual costs and/or other costs and/or payments specifically authorized in advance in writing and incurred by Contractor in the performance of this Agreement.
5.5 Contractor shall not receive any compensation for extra work performed without the prior written authorization of City. As used herein, “extra work” means any work that is determined by City to be necessary for the proper completion of the Project, but which is not included within the Scope of Services and which the parties did not reasonably anticipate would be necessary at the time of execution of this Agreement. Compensation for any authorized extra work shall be paid in accordance with the payment schedule as set forth in Exhibit “B,” if the extra work has been approved by the City.
5.6 Licenses, Permits, Fees, and Assessments. Contractor shall obtain, at Contractor’s sole cost and expense, such licenses, permits, and approvals as may be required by law for the performance of the services required by this Agreement. Contractor shall have the sole obligation to pay for any fees, assessments, and taxes, plus applicable penalties and
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interest, which may be imposed by law and which arise from or are necessary for the performance of the Services by this Agreement.
6.0 PAYMENT.
6.1 As scheduled services are completed, Contractor shall submit to the City an invoice for the services completed, authorized expenses, and authorized extra work actually performed or incurred according to said schedule.
6.2 Each such invoice shall state the basis for the amount invoiced, including a detailed description of the services completed, the number of hours spent, reimbursable expenses incurred and any extra work performed.
6.3 Contractor shall also submit a progress report with each invoice that describes in reasonable detail the services and the extra work, if any, performed in the immediately preceding calendar month.
6.4 Contractor understands and agrees that invoices which lack sufficient detail to measure performance will be returned and not processed for payment.
6.5 City will pay Contractor the amount invoiced within thirty (30) days after the City approves the invoice.
6.6 Payment of such invoices shall be payment in full for all services, authorized costs, and authorized extra work covered by that invoice.
7.0 CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY. City shall cooperate with Contractor as may be reasonably necessary for Contractor to perform its services; and will give any required decisions as promptly as practicable so as to avoid unreasonable delay in the progress of Contractor's services.8.0 COORDINATION OF SERVICES
. Contractor agrees to work closely with City
staff in the performance of Services and shall be available to City’s staff, consultants, and other staff at all reasonable times.
9.0 INDEMNITY. Contractor agrees to indemnify City, its officers, elected officials, employees and agents against, and will hold and save each of them harmless from, any and all actions, suits, claims, damages to persons or property, losses, costs, penalties, obligations, errors, omissions or liabilities (herein “claims or liabilities”), including but not limited to professional negligence, that may be asserted or claimed by any person, firm or entity arising out of or in connection with the work, operations or activities of Contractor, its agents, employees, subcontractors, or invitees, provided for herein, or arising from the acts or omissions of Contractor hereunder, or arising from Contractor’s performance of or failure to perform any term, provision, covenant or condition of this Agreement, except to the extent such
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claims or liabilities arise from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of City, its officers, elected officials, agents or employees.
10.0 INSURANCE. Contractor shall procure and maintain for the duration of the Agreement insurance against claims for injuries to persons or damage to property that may arise from or in connection with the performance of the work hereunder by the Contractor, its agents, representative, or employees. The policies shall state that they afford primary coverage.
10.1 Automobile Liability Insurance – Primary insurance coverage shall be written on ISO Business Auto coverage form for all owned, hired, and non-owned automobiles or any auto.
The policy shall have a combined single limit of not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000). If Contractor is transporting one or more non-employee passengers in the performance of the services, the automobile liability policy shall have a combined single limit of two million dollars ($2,000,000). If Contractor owns no autos, a hired, non-owned auto endorsement to the General Liability policy is acceptable.
10.1.1 Contractor agrees to subrogate automobile liability resulting from performance under this agreement by agreeing to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless, the City, and its respective employees, agents, and City Council from and against all claims, liabilities, suits, losses, damages, injuries and expenses, including all costs and reasonable attorney’s fees (“Claims”), which are attributable to any act or omission by the Contractor under the performance of the services. The City of Vernon, its directors, commissioners, officers, employees, agents, and volunteers must be endorsed on the policy as additional insureds and, under the Contractors’ policy, there shall be a waiver of subrogation, and the policy shall be primary and non-contributory and will not seek contribution from the City’s insurance.
10.2 Commercial General Liability Insurance – Contractor shall carry General Liability Insurance covering all operations performed by or on behalf of the Contractor providing coverage for bodily injury and property damage with a single limit of not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence and two million dollars ($2,000,000) general aggregate limit written on an Insurance Services Office (ISO) Comprehensive General Liability "occurrence" Form CG 00 01 or its equivalent for coverage on an occurrence basis. The City of Vernon, its directors, commissioners, officers, employees, agents, and volunteers must be endorsed on the policy as additional insureds with respect to liability arising out of the Contractor's performance of this Agreement. The additional insured coverage under the Contractor’s policy shall be
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primary and non
-contributory and will not seek contribution from the City’s insurance. The policy shall be endorsed to include a waiver of subrogation.
10.2.1 If Contractor intends to employ other contractors as part of the services rendered, the City must approve and will establish the appropriate insurance requirements.
10.2.2 Contractor agrees to subrogate General Liability resulting from performance under this agreement by agreeing to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless, the City, and its respective employees, agents, and City Council from and against all claims, liabilities, suits, losses, damages, injuries and expenses, including all costs and reasonable attorney’s fees (“Claims”), which are attributable to any act or omission by the Contractor under the performance of the services.
10.3 Professional Errors and Omissions Coverage in a sum of not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000), where such risk is applicable. Applicable aggregate must be identified and claims history provided to determine amounts remaining under the aggregates.
Contractor shall maintain such coverage for at least one (1) year after the termination of this agreement.
10.4 Umbrella Liability Insurance – An umbrella (over primary) may be used to comply with limits or other primary coverage requirements. When used, the umbrella policy shall apply to bodily injury/property damage and personal injury/advertising injury and shall include a “dropdown” provision providing primary coverage for any liability not covered by the primary policy. The umbrella policy shall have no additional exclusion or coverage difference from the primary policy. The coverage shall also apply to automobile liability.
10.5 Workers’ Compensation/Employers Liability - Contractor shall comply with the applicable sections of the California Labor Code concerning workers' compensation for injuries on the job. Compliance is accomplished in one of the following manners:
10.5.1 Provide a copy of the permissive self-insurance certificate approved by the State of California; or
10.5.2 Secure and maintain in force a policy of workers' compensation insurance with statutory limits and Employer's Liability Insurance with a limit of one million dollars ($1,000,000) per accident. The policy shall be endorsed to waive all rights of subrogation against City, its directors, commissioners, officers, employees, and volunteers for losses arising from performance of this Agreement or
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10.5.3 If Contractor has no employees, it may certify or warrant to the City that it does not currently have any employees or individuals who are defined as “employees” under the Labor Code, and the requirement for Workers’ Compensation coverage will be waived by completing the waiver form provided by the City.
10.6 If Contractor maintains broader coverage and/or higher limits than the minimums shown above, City requires and shall be entitled to the broader coverage and/or the higher limits maintained by the Contractor. Any available insurance proceeds in excess of the specified minimum limits of insurance and coverage shall be available to the City.
10.7 Each insurance policy included in this clause shall be endorsed to state that coverage shall not be cancelled except after thirty (30) days prior written notice to City.
10.8 Insurance shall be placed with insurers with an A.M. Best rating of no less than A-VIII. Any self-insured retention or deductible in excess of $25,000 must be approved in advance by the City. Any policies written on a claims-based basis must include a minimum of a 3-year tail.
10.9 Prior to the commencement of performance, Contractor shall furnish City with a certificate of insurance for each policy. Each certificate is to be signed by a person authorized by that insurer to evidence coverage on its behalf. The certificate(s) must be in a form approved by City. City may require complete, certified copies of any or all policies upon request.
10.10 Failure to maintain required insurance at all times shall constitute a default and material breach. In such event, Contractor shall immediately notify City and cease all performance under this Agreement until further directed by the City. In the absence of satisfactory insurance coverage, City may, at its option: (a) procure insurance with collection rights for premiums, attorney's fees, and costs against Contractor by way of set-off or recoupment from sums due to Contractor, at City's option; (b) immediately terminate this Agreement and seek damages from the Agreement resulting from said breach; or (c) self-insure the risk, with all damages and costs incurred, by judgment, settlement or otherwise, including attorney's fees and costs, being collectible from Contractor, by way of set-off or recoupment from any sums due to Contractor.
11.0 GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
11.1 INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR.
11.1.1 It is understood that in the performance of the services herein provided for, Contractor shall be, and is, an independent contractor, and is not an agent, officer or employee of City and shall furnish such services in its own manner and method except as
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required by this Agreement, or any applicable statu
te, rule, or regulation. Further, Contractor
has and shall retain the right to exercise full control over the employment, direction, compensation and discharge of all persons employed by Contractor in the performance of the services hereunder. City assumes no liability for Contractor’s actions and performance, nor assumes responsibility for taxes, bonds, payments, or other commitments, implied or explicit, by or for Contractor. Contractor shall be solely responsible for, and shall indemnify, defend and save City harmless from all matters relating to the payment of its employees, subcontractors and independent contractors, including compliance with social security, withholding and all other wages, salaries, benefits, taxes, exactions, and regulations of any nature whatsoever.
11.1.2 Contractor acknowledges that Contractor and any subcontractors, agents or employees employed by Contractor shall not, under any circumstances, be considered employees of the City, and that they shall not be entitled to any of the benefits or rights afforded employees of City, including, but not limited to, sick leave, vacation leave, holiday pay, Public Employees Retirement System benefits, or health, life, dental, long-term disability or workers' compensation insurance benefits.
11.2 CONTRACTOR NOT AGENT. Except as the City may authorize in writing, Contractor and its subcontractors shall have no authority, express or implied, to act on behalf of or bind the City in any capacity whatsoever as agents or otherwise.
11.3 OWNERSHIP OF WORK. All documents and materials furnished by the City to Contractor shall remain the property of the City and shall be returned to the City upon termination of this Agreement. All reports, drawings, plans, specifications, computer tapes, floppy disks and printouts, studies, memoranda, computation sheets, and other documents prepared by Contractor in furtherance of the work shall be the sole property of City and shall be delivered to City whenever requested at no additional cost to the City. Contractor shall keep such documents and materials on file and available for audit by the City for at least three (3) years after completion or earlier termination of this Agreement. Contractor may make duplicate copies of such materials and documents for its own files or for such other purposes as may be authorized in writing by the City.
11.4 CORRECTION OF WORK. Contractor shall promptly correct any defective, inaccurate or incomplete tasks, deliverables, goods, services and other work, without additional cost to the City. The performance or acceptance of services furnished by Contractor shall not relieve the Contractor from the obligation to correct subsequently discovered defects, inaccuracy, or incompleteness.
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11.5 RESPONSIBILITY FOR ERRORS
. Contractor shall be responsible for its
work and results under this Agreement. Contractor, when requested, shall furnish clarification and/or explanation as may be required by the City, regarding any services rendered under this Agreement at no additional cost to City. In the event that an error or omission attributable to Contractor occurs, then Contractor shall, at no cost to City, provide all necessary design drawings, estimates and other Contractor professional services necessary to rectify and correct the matter to the sole satisfaction of City and to participate in any meeting required with regard to the correction.
11.6 WAIVER. The City's waiver of any term, condition, breach, or default of this Agreement shall not be considered to be a waiver of any other term, condition, default or breach, nor of a subsequent breach of the one waived. The delay or failure of either party at any time to require performance or compliance by the other of any of its obligations or agreements shall in no way be deemed a waiver of those rights to require such performance or compliance.
No waiver of any provision of this Agreement shall be effective unless in writing and executed by a duly authorized representative of the party against whom enforcement of a waiver is sought.
11.7 SUCCESSORS. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and shall be binding upon, the parties hereto and their respective heirs, successors, and/or assigns.
11.8 NO ASSIGNMENT. Contractor shall not assign or transfer this Agreement or any rights hereunder without the prior written consent of the City and approval by the City Attorney, which may be withheld in the City's sole discretion. Any unauthorized assignment or transfer shall be null and void and shall constitute a material breach by the Contractor of its obligations under this Agreement. No assignment shall release the original parties from their obligations or otherwise constitute a novation.
11.9 COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS. Contractor shall comply with all Federal, State, County and City laws, ordinances, rules and regulations, which are, as amended from time to time, incorporated herein and applicable to the performance hereof. Violation of any law material to performance of this Agreement shall entitle the City to terminate the Agreement and otherwise pursue its remedies. Further, if the Contractor performs any work knowing it to be contrary to such laws, rules, and regulations Contractor shall be solely responsible for all costs arising therefrom.
11.10 ATTORNEY'S FEES. If any action at law or in equity is brought to
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enforce or interpret the terms of this Agreement, the prevailing party shall be entitled to reasonable attorney's fees, costs, and necessary disbursements in addition to any other relief to which such party may be entitled.
11.11 INTERPRETATION.
11.11.1 Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be deemed an agreement and shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California. Contractor agrees that the State and Federal courts which sit in the State of California shall have exclusive jurisdiction over all controversies and disputes arising hereunder, and submits to the jurisdiction thereof.
11.11.2 Entire Agreement. This Agreement, including any exhibits attached hereto, constitutes the entire agreement and understanding between the parties regarding its subject matter and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous negotiations, representations, understandings, correspondence, documentation, and agreements (written or oral).
11.11.3 Written Amendment. This Agreement may only be changed by written amendment executed by Contractor and the City Administrator or other authorized representative of the City, subject to any requisite authorization by the City Council. Any oral representations or modifications concerning this Agreement shall be of no force or effect.
11.11.4 Severability. If any provision in this Agreement is held by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void, or unenforceable, such portion shall be deemed severed from this Agreement, and the remaining provisions shall nevertheless continue in full force and effect as fully as though such invalid, illegal, or unenforceable portion had never been part of this Agreement.
11.11.5 Order of Precedence. In case of conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms contained in any document attached as an Exhibit or otherwise incorporated by reference, the terms of this Agreement shall strictly prevail. The terms of the City’s Request for Proposals shall control over the Contractor’s Proposal.
11.11.6 Construction. In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises with respect to this Agreement, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties and in accordance with its fair meaning. There shall be no presumption or burden of proof favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions of this Agreement.
11.12 TIME OF ESSENCE. Time is strictly of the essence of this agreement and each and every covenant, term, and provision hereof.
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11.13 AUTHORITY OF CONTRACTOR. The Contractor hereby represents and warrants to the City that the Contractor has the right, power, legal capacity, and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, and its execution of this Agreement has been duly authorized.
11.14 ARBITRATION OF DISPUTES. Any dispute for under $25,000 arising out of or relating to the negotiation, construction, performance, non-performance, breach, or any other aspect of this Agreement, shall be settled by binding arbitration in accordance with the Commercial Rules of the American Arbitration Association at Los Angeles, California and judgment upon the award rendered by the Arbitrators may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. The City does not waive its right to object to the timeliness or sufficiency of any claim filed or required to be filed against the City and reserves the right to conduct full discovery.
11.15 NOTICES. Any notice or demand to be given by one party to the other must be given in writing and by personal delivery or prepaid first-class, registered or certified mail, addressed as follows. Notice simply to the City of Vernon or any other City department is not adequate notice.
If to the City:
City of Vernon
Attention: Freddie Agyin, Director of
Health and Environmental Control Dept.
4305 Santa Fe Avenue
Vernon, CA 90058
If to the Contractor:
Raftelis Financial Consultants, Inc.
Attention: Jennifer Porter, Principal Consultant
227 W Trade St #1400
Charlotte, NC 28202
Any such notice shall be deemed to have been given upon delivery, if personally delivered, or, if mailed, upon receipt, or upon expiration of three (3) business days from the date of posting, whichever is earlier. Either party may change the address at which it desires to receive notice upon giving written notice of such request to the other party.
11.16 NO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS. This Agreement is entered into for the sole benefit of City and Contractor and no other parties are intended to be direct or incidental beneficiaries of this Agreement and no third party shall have any right or remedy in, under, or to this Agreement.
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11.1 7 TERMINATION FOR CONVENIENCE (Without Cause). City may terminate this Agreement in whole or in part at any time, for any cause or without cause, upon fifteen (15) calendar days' written notice to Contractor. If the Agreement is thus terminated by City for reasons other than Contractor's failure to perform its obligations, City shall pay Contractor a prorated amount based on the services satisfactorily completed and accepted prior to the effective date of termination. Such payment shall be Contractor's exclusive remedy for termination without cause.
11.18 DEFAULT. In the event either party materially defaults in its obligations hereunder, the other party may declare a default and terminate this Agreement by written notice to the defaulting party. The notice shall specify the basis for the default. The Agreement shall terminate unless such default is cured before the effective date of termination stated in such notice, which date shall be no sooner than ten (10) days after the date of the notice. In case of default by Contractor, the City reserves the right to procure the goods or services from other sources and to hold the Contractor responsible for any excess costs occasioned to the City thereby. Contractor shall not be held accountable for additional costs incurred due to delay or default as a result of Force Majeure. Contractor must notify the City immediately upon knowing that non-performance or delay will apply to this Agreement as a result of Force Majeure. At that time Contractor is to submit in writing a Recovery Plan for this Agreement. If the Recovery Plan is not acceptable to the City or not received within 10 days of the necessary notification of Force Majeure default, then the City may cancel this order in its entirety at no cost to the City, owing only for goods and services completed to that point.
11.19 TERMINATION FOR CAUSE. Termination for cause shall relieve the terminating party of further liability or responsibility under this Agreement, including the payment of money, except for payment for services satisfactorily and timely performed prior to the service of the notice of termination, and except for reimbursement of (1) any payments made by the City for service not subsequently performed in a timely and satisfactory manner, and (2) costs incurred by the City in obtaining substitute performance. If this Agreement is terminated as provided herein, City may require, at no additional cost to City, that Contractor provide all finished or unfinished documents, data, and other information of any kind prepared by Contractor in connection with the performance of Services under this Agreement. Contractor shall be required to provide such document and other information within fifteen (15) days of the request.
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11 .19.1 Additional Services. In the event this Agreement is terminated in whole or in part as provided herein, City may procure, upon such terms and in such manner as it may determine appropriate, services similar to those terminated.
11.20 MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF RECORDS.
The City, or its authorized auditors or representatives, shall have access to and the right to audit and reproduce any of the Contractor's records to the extent the City deems necessary to insure it is receiving all money to which it is entitled under the Agreement and/or is paying only the amounts to which Contractor is properly entitled under the Agreement or for other purposes relating to the Agreement.
The Contractor shall maintain and preserve all such records for a period of at least three (3) years after termination of the Agreement.
The Contractor shall maintain all such records in the City of Vernon. If not, the Contractor shall, upon request, promptly deliver the records to the City of Vernon or reimburse the City for all reasonable and extra costs incurred in conducting the audit at a location other than the City of Vernon, including, but not limited to, such additional (out of the City) expenses for personnel, salaries, private auditors, travel, lodging, meals, and overhead.
11.21 CONFLICT. Contractor hereby represents, warrants, and certifies that no member, officer, or employee of the Contractor is a director, officer, or employee of the City of Vernon, or a member of any of its boards, commissions, or committees, except to the extent permitted by law.
11.22 HEADINGS. Paragraphs and subparagraph headings contained in this Agreement are included solely for convenience and are not intended to modify, explain or to be a full or accurate description of the content thereof and shall not in any way affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
11.23ENFORCEMENT OF WAGE AND HOUR LAWS. Eight hours labor constitutes a legal day's work. The Contractor, or subcontractor, if any, shall forfeit twenty-five dollars ($25) for each worker employed in the execution of this Agreement by the respective Contractor or subcontractor for each calendar day during which the worker is required or permitted to work more than 8 hours in any one calendar day and 40 hours in any one calendar week in violation of the provisions of Sections 1810 through 1815 of the California Labor Code as a penalty paid to the City; provided, however, work performed by employees of contractors in excess of 8 hours per day, and 40 hours during any one week, shall be permitted upon compensation for all hours worked in excess of 8 hours per day at not less than 1½ times the basic rate of pay.
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11.2 4 EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY PRACTICES. Contractor certifies and represents that, during the performance of this Agreement, it and any other parties with whom it may subcontract shall adhere to equal employment opportunity practices to assure that applicants, employees and recipients of service are treated equally and are not discriminated against because of their race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, sex, age, medical condition, sexual orientation or marital status. Contractor further certifies that it will not maintain any segregated facilities. Contractor further agrees to comply with The Equal Employment Opportunity Practices provisions as set forth in Exhibit “C”. [Signatures Begin on Next Page].
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Agreement as of the Commencement Date stated on the cover page.
City of Vernon, a California charter City
and California municipal corporation
By: ____________________________
Brian Saeki, City Administrator
Raftelis Financial Consultants, Inc.,
a North Carolina corporation
By:
Name: Henrietta Locklear
Title: Senior Vice President
ATTEST:
_______________________________
Yonnie Parker, Deputy City Clerk
By:
Name: Christine McIntyre
Title: Chief Financial Officer
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_______________________________
Zaynah Moussa,City Attorney
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EXHIBIT
A
CONTRACTOR'S PROPOSAL
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City of Vernon
Solid Waste Management Consulting Services
PROPOSAL / MARCH 27, 2025
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RAFTELIS
1 611 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90017 | www.raftelis.com
COVER LETTER
March 27, 2025
Dulce Gonzalez
Management Analyst
City of Vernon
4305 S. Santa Fe Avenue
Vernon, CA 90058
Subject: Proposal for Solid Waste Management Consulting Services Dear Dulce Gonzalez:
Raftelis is pleased to submit this proposal in response to the City of Vernon’s Request for Proposals for Solid Waste Management Consulting Services. We appreciate the opportunity to support the City in evaluating its current non- exclusive franchise system and developing a forward-thinking model that improves operational efficiency, enhances service accountability, and aligns with Vernon’s regulatory and sustainability goals.
We understand the importance of this work and the complexity of Vernon’s current system. With 16 permitted haulers serving a predominantly industrial customer base, the City requires a partner that understands how to balance business needs, service performance, environmental compliance, and policy development. Raftelis has successfully led similar initiatives across California and the U.S.—evaluating collection systems, designing franchise models, facilitating stakeholder and Council engagement, and supporting implementation through competitive procurement and transition management.
Our proposal outlines a clear, phased approach built around your goals and timeline. We are confident in our ability to deliver each task—on time and within budget—while providing the technical, legal, and engagement expertise needed to ensure project success. We are excited about the opportunity to work with Vernon and contribute to building a more transparent, effective, and future-ready solid waste program.
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RAFTELIS
2 611 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90017 | www.raftelis.com Thank you for considering our proposal. We look forward to the opportunity to serve the City of Vernon and welcome any questions you may have. Please feel free to contact me at 845.481.1321 or [email protected].
Sincerely,
Thierry Boveri, CGFMJennifer Porter
Vice President (Authorized to bind) Principal Consultant (Contact Person) Firm Headquarters: 227 W. Trade Street, Suite 1400, Charlotte, NC 28202 Firm Phone: 704.373.1199 / Firm Email: [email protected] Raftelis states that our proposal shall remain valid for a period of not less than ninety (90) days from the date of submittal.
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RAFTELIS
3 INTRODUCTION
The Raftelis Advantage: Experience That
Works for Vernon
Vernon isn’t a typical city—and this isn’t a typical project.
With a heavy industrial base, complex hauler ecosystem, and ambitious goals for accountability and environmental compliance, the City of Vernon needs more than a consultant. You need a partner who can guide you from strategic evaluation through long-term implementation— while building consensus and delivering results every step of the way.
At Raftelis, we bring that level of partnership. Backed by more than 190 experts and a track record of success with over 700 agencies just last year, we offer unmatched depth in solid waste planning, franchise structuring, financial modeling, stakeholder engagement, and program execution. Here’s what sets Raftelis apar:
Strategic Leadership in Franchise Reform
We’ve helped dozens of communities transform complex hauler systems into efficient, accountable programs. Raftelis brings extensive experience evaluating and redesigning non- exclusive and hybrid franchise models, particularly in business-dense and industrial communities. We understand how to analyze current capacity, improve competitiveness, and balance flexibility with oversight. Whether Vernon maintains, modifies, or consolidates its system, we’ll help you build a model that’s cost-effective, enforceable, and future-ready.
Built for Projects with Depth and Longevity
Multi-year, multi-phase projects require serious horsepower. We’re built for it. With the largest utility- and local government-focused consulting team in the nation, Raftelis can dedicate specialized experts to each phase of Vernon’s project—from technical assessment and legal coordination to stakeholder outreach and contract implementation. You’ll never be short on capacity, and you’ll always have the right people in the room.
Defensible, Data-Driven Recommendations
When it’s time to justify changes to Council or the business community, you’ll be ready. Our recommendations are backed by robust data, environmental impact modeling, rate benchmarking, and legal defensibility. We’re not just industry-informed—we’re industry- shaping. Raftelis staff serve in leadership roles with SWANA, co-author utility finance best practices, and are recognized nationally for our solid waste policy work. And as a registered Municipal Advisor, we’re fully qualified to provide financial recommendations that comply with federal regulations and stand up to public scrutiny.
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RAFTELIS
4 California-Specific Knowledge, Industrial City Experience We understand Vernon’s reality—and your regulatory landscape. From SB 1383 compliance and edible food recovery mandates to commercial generator-focused rate systems, we’ve helped cities across California build solid waste programs that work for businesses, meet CalRecycle standards, and minimize risk. We’re fluent in California law and have hands-on experience working with legal teams, haulers, and businesses to draft enforceable, effective franchise agreements that align with local priorities.
Engagement That Builds Buy-In from Business
Outreach isn’t just a checkbox—it’s a strategy. With 1,800+ businesses operating in Vernon, many of them high-volume generators, effective engagement requires more than a public meeting. Raftelis designs targeted, stakeholder-specific engagement strategies that elevate the right voices, gather meaningful feedback, and translate community input into actionable insights.
We help you build momentum, secure support, and get to “yes” faster—with fewer surprises.
Tools Designed for Decision-Making and Accountability
You’ll walk away with more than a report. You’ll have tools you can use. We develop financial models, cost allocation tools, and transition tracking dashboards that your team can use to monitor performance, compare service models, and prepare for Council presentations. From Microsoft Excel to web-based platforms, our tools are built to be transparent, replicable, and accessible long after we’re gone. We’ll even help design key performance indicators and compliance reporting systems tailored to your new franchise framework.
From Strategy to Execution: We Stay With You
Planning is only the beginning. Implementation is where it counts. Raftelis will support Vernon through every stage of transition—helping draft the RFP and franchise agreement, facilitating proposer interviews, negotiating contracts, and guiding the hauler onboarding process. We’ve done this in cities with multiple legacy haulers, conflicting stakeholder interests, and complex legal environments. We know what can go wrong—and how to make it go right.
Why Choose Raftelis?
You need a partner who understands how to: • Navigate the realities of an industrial -focused, non-exclusive hauler environment
• Align environmental, financial, and service-level goals • Communicate clearly with businesses, staff, and elected officials • Translate analysis into adoptable policies and enforceable contracts • Support long-term implementation—not just short-term studies
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RAFTELIS
5 Project Understanding
The City of Vernon is taking a proactive and strategic step toward improving the efficiency, accountability, and sustainability of its solid waste management system. Raftelis is excited for the opportunity to serve as your partner through this effort—not just as consultants, but as trusted advisors equipped to help you navigate complex challenges, make informed decisions, and implement a system that works for Vernon today and well into the future.
We understand that Vernon’s non-exclusive franchise model—with 16 permitted haulers and a heavily industrial customer base—requires a detailed evaluation to assess operational effectiveness, cost equity, customer satisfaction, and regulatory compliance. The City is seeking expert support to not only review current conditions but to recommend a viable path forward, design the appropriate procurement structure, secure stakeholder and Council alignment, and ultimately oversee a successful implementation of the selected model.
Raftelis brings the full range of experience and expertise required to deliver these outcomes. Our phased, task-based approach includes hauler interviews and data collection, benchmarking, financial and environmental modeling, stakeholder engagement, policy development, franchise agreement drafting, RFP support, and hands-on implementation assistance. Each step will be guided by clear milestones, rigorous quality control, and regular communication with City staff.
With more than 190 consultants—many of whom are solid waste, finance, and engagement specialists—we have the resources to deliver high-quality results on time and within your identified budget. Our goal is not only to meet your expectations, but to help Vernon build a system that reflects your values, strengthens community trust, and delivers long-term value.
GENERAL SCOPE OF WORK
General Scope of Work
In brief summary, Raftelis understands the scope of work for each proposed Service Area as follows:
Task 1 - Evaluation of Current Non-Exclusive Franchise System (May 1, 2025 - August 31, 2025): We will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the City’s existing non-exclusive franchise system, examining hauler performance, customer satisfaction, rate structures, service quality, and regulatory compliance. This will include data collection from permitted haulers, customer surveys, and benchmarking against peer agencies to identify opportunities for improvement and inform future system design.
Task 2 - Report Development and Recommendations (September 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025): Using insights from the evaluation, we will develop a detailed report presenting solid waste service model options (e.g., exclusive, tiered, or enhanced non-exclusive). Each option will include financial, operational, and environmental impact analysis. We will recommend a preferred model tailored to Vernon’s needs, supported by a phased implementation roadmap.
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RAFTELIS
6 Task 3 - Stakeholder Engagement (January 1, 2026 - March 31, 2026): We will design and facilitate a targeted stakeholder engagement process to validate the recommended model, solicit input from businesses and community members, and build support for implementation. Feedback gathered through public meetings, surveys, and interviews will be used to refine the proposed approach.
Task 4 - City Council Report (April 1, 2026 - June 30, 2026): Raftelis will prepare and deliver a comprehensive presentation of findings and recommendations to the City Council, ensuring elected officials understand the service model options, stakeholder feedback, and financial and operational implications. We will also support City staff with communication materials and presentation briefings.
Task 5 - RFP Development and Publication (January 1, 2027 - March 31, 2027): Based on the approved model, we will draft a detailed Request for Proposals and updated franchise agreement(s) with enforceable performance standards. We will work closely with City staff and legal counsel to ensure alignment with policy goals and regulatory requirements, and support outreach to potential proposers.
Task 6 - RFP Response Evaluation and Franchisee Selection (April 1, 2027 - June 30, 2027):
We will facilitate a fair, transparent evaluation process of the proposals received, support proposer interviews, and assist the City in selecting one or more franchisees. This will include scoring proposals, leading negotiations, and preparing a final recommendation for Council approval.
Task 7 - Implementation of New Solid Waste Management System (July 1, 2027 - December 31, 2029): Raftelis will provide transition support as the new service model is launched, including hauler coordination, performance tracking, customer communication planning, and compliance monitoring. We will ensure the new system is implemented effectively and aligned with the City’s goals for service quality, efficiency, and regulatory compliance.
WORK PLAN
Work Plan
Our work plan is intentionally structured to function as a strategic, sequential roadmap— moving the City of Vernon from system evaluation to successful implementation with clarity, efficiency, and momentum. Each task is purposefully designed to build on the outcomes of the previous phase, ensuring a seamless flow of insights, decisions, and deliverables.
The process begins with a comprehensive evaluation of Vernon’s current system (Task 1), which provides the data foundation and operational understanding needed to shape informed, customized recommendations (Task 2). These recommendations serve as the framework for meaningful stakeholder engagement (Task 3), ensuring that community input is reflected in the final strategy. Once refined, the recommended path is presented to City Council for review and adoption (Task 4), providing policy direction and approval to proceed.
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RAFTELIS
7 With Council’s guidance in place, we move into the procurement and implementation phase:
Task 5 transforms policy into enforceable contract documents, while Task 6 manages the competitive selection process to identify the best partners. Finally, Task 7 puts the plan into action—guiding the transition to the new system, tracking performance, and ensuring a smooth rollout for the City, haulers, and customers alike.
This phased and interdependent approach ensures that every phase informs and strengthens the next, eliminating redundancies, reducing risk, and maintaining alignment with the City’s goals throughout the project. By design, this structure delivers not only high-quality outcomes, but also confidence in every step of the process.
Task 1: Evaluation of Current Non-Exclusive Franchise System Timeline: May 1, 2025 – August 31, 2025
Objective: Assess the current solid waste franchise system to identify gaps, inefficiencies, regulatory risks, and opportunities to optimize service delivery and system oversight.
Methodology: • Interview all 16 permitted haulers to gather operational and customer data. • Analyze current rate structures, City franchise fees, and service profiles. • Review hauler compliance reports and insurance coverage. • Benchmark rate structures, customer satisfaction, and hauler turnover against at least five peer jurisdictions.
• Develop and administer a survey to Vernon businesses to assess satisfaction, hauler awareness, and perceived service quality.
• Evaluate extent of market competitiveness.
Meetings: • Project kickoff meeting with City staff • One-on-one sessions with each hauler • Biweekly progress check-ins with City staff Deliverables: • Hauler Performance Report • Benchmarking Report (Including Rate Comparisons) • Customer Satisfaction Survey Results • Franchise System Evaluation Memo Interrelationship of Tasks: This task sets the foundation for the entire project. All subsequent work—including model recommendations (Task 2), stakeholder outreach (Task 3), and RFP development (Task 5)—relies on the data, insights, and findings generated here. A comprehensive and accurate evaluation ensures that future decisions are grounded in the current system’s realities.
Raftelis Advantage: We specialize in evaluating non-exclusive systems and know how to extract actionable insights from fragmented hauler markets. Our deep experience with similar
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RAFTELIS
8 franchise reviews ensures Vernon receives a candid, data-driven diagnosis that leads directly to targeted, practical recommendations.
Task 2: Report Development and Recommendations
Timeline: September 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025
Objective: Translate the findings from Task 1 into a strategic, forward-looking report that recommends the optimal solid waste management model for the City of Vernon.
Methodology: • Analyze Task 1 data to identify key trends, performance gaps, and opportunities. • Compare Vernon’s system structure with those of 5–7 jurisdictions that have recently updated or restructured their programs.
• Assess financial, environmental, and service-level impacts of multiple collection models (e.g., exclusive, tiered, enhanced non-exclusive).
• Develop cost projections, environmental implications, and enforcement pathways for each option.
• Prepare an implementation roadmap for the preferred model, including resource needs and timeline.
Meetings: • Strategy session to review alternatives • Internal working group meeting to finalize recommendations Deliverables: • Comprehensive Solid Waste Evaluation and Recommendations Report • Service Model Comparison Matrix • Implementation Plan and Timeline Interrelationship of Tasks: This task builds directly from Task 1’s findings and analysis. The recommended model will form the basis of stakeholder engagement (Task 3), Council approval (Task 4), and the RFP process (Task 5). By evaluating multiple paths and aligning them with Vernon’s regulatory and operational realities, Task 2 sets the strategic direction for the project’s second half.
Raftelis Advantage: Our unique strength lies in converting complex system data into clear, actionable alternatives that weigh costs, compliance, and customer experience. We don’t just recommend—we model, compare, and forecast so you know exactly what each option means for Vernon.
Task 3: Stakeholder Engagement
Timeline: January 1, 2026 – March 31, 2026
Objective: Gather meaningful input from key stakeholder groups—including businesses, residents, and environmental partners—to validate and refine the proposed service model.
Methodology:
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RAFTELIS
9 • Identify and segment key stakeholders based on geography, generator type, and volume. • Design and distribute tailored outreach materials (online surveys, presentations, flyers). • Conduct a facilitated public meeting to share findings and collect feedback. • Offer targeted one-on-one meetings or interviews for major business generators. • Analyze responses and adjust recommendations as appropriate.
Meetings:
• Stakeholder focus session • Outreach coordination meeting • Feedback review session with City staff Deliverables:
• Stakeholder Engagement Summary Report • Revised Recommendation Brief (if needed) • Public Comment Matrix Interrelationship of Tasks: Task 3 serves as the critical link between analysis (Tasks 1–2) and policy direction (Task 4). Stakeholder feedback provides essential context that helps shape the final model recommendation and builds buy-in that will be essential during Council review and eventual implementation. The outcomes here directly impact messaging and decision-making in subsequent tasks.
Raftelis Advantage: We’re known for creating engagement processes that are inclusive, efficient, and politically astute. Our focus on industrial and commercial stakeholders gives Vernon an advantage in reaching the right people with the right message at the right time.
Task 4: City Council Presentation
Timeline: April 1, 2026 – June 30, 2026
Objective: Present findings and final recommendations to City Council in a clear, accessible, and persuasive format to facilitate policy decision-making.
Methodology: • Refine messaging and visuals based on stakeholder feedback. • Prepare a formal presentation and executive summary aligned with Council priorities. • Support City staff with Q&A briefings, talking points, and communication materials. • Attend Council meeting(s) to present and assist in discussion.
Meetings: • Presentation planning and rehearsal • City Council study session • Staff debrief and follow-up Deliverables: • Council Presentation Deck • Staff Report and Executive Summary
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RAFTELIS 10
• Talking Points and FAQ Document
Interrelationship of Tasks: The Council presentation reflects the culmination of work done in Tasks 1–3. The recommendation presented here must be defensible, stakeholder-informed, and financially sound. Council feedback in this task will guide the final form of the RFP and franchise agreement developed in Task 5.
Raftelis Advantage: Our team excels at presenting complex operational and financial recommendations in ways that elected officials can easily grasp and champion. We help staff feel confident and well-prepared, which increases the likelihood of smooth Council approval.
Task 5: RFP Development and Publication
Timeline: January 1, 2027 – March 31, 2027
Objective: Develop and issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) and draft franchise agreement(s) aligned with the City’s selected solid waste management model.
Methodology: • Translate the adopted model into enforceable RFP specifications. • Draft franchise agreement terms with clear performance metrics and compliance provisions.
• Coordinate closely with City legal staff to ensure enforceability and risk mitigation. • Develop proposer evaluation criteria and outreach strategy. • Conduct pre-proposal meeting(s) to clarify expectations and maximize proposer quality.
Meetings: • Legal coordination session • RFP and contract review • Pre-proposal conference Deliverables: • Final RFP and Franchise Agreement • Evaluation Criteria and Scoring Matrix • Distribution Plan and Hauler Outreach List Interrelationship of Tasks: Task 5 relies on the Council-approved recommendations from Task 4 and codifies them into actionable contract documents. The clarity and strength of the RFP will directly impact the quality of responses evaluated in Task 6. Early planning here also sets expectations for future implementation and enforcement.
Raftelis Advantage: We have written dozens of successful solid waste RFPs and negotiated complex franchise agreements across California. Our blend of legal, financial, and operational expertise ensures Vernon gets a competitive process and a high-performing contract.
Task 6: RFP Response Evaluation and Franchisee Selection Timeline: April 1, 2027 – June 30, 2027
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RAFTELIS 11
Objective: Facilitate a transparent and defensible evaluation of proposals and assist with negotiations, contractor selection, and final agreement development.
Methodology: • Coordinate and support the Evaluation Committee. • Score proposals using objective, pre-approved criteria. • Facilitate interviews and presentations with top proposers. • Lead negotiations to refine contract terms. • Prepare award recommendation report and assist with Council approval.
Meetings: • Evaluation Committee kickoff • Proposer interviews • Negotiation strategy session • City Council award meeting Deliverables: • Proposal Evaluation Report • Final Scoring Matrix • Draft Franchise Award Recommendation • Negotiation Summary Interrelationship of Tasks: Task 6 is where strategy becomes reality. The quality and clarity of work in Task 5 (RFP development) determines the caliber of responses received, while decisions made in Task 6 will shape the rollout strategy in Task 7. A defensible, transparent process here also ensures that the City can proceed without delay, risk of protest, or misalignment with Council’s direction from Task 4.
Raftelis Advantage: Our team’s experience evaluating hundreds of solid waste RFPs means we understand how to spot both value and red flags. We ensure fairness, transparency, and rigor throughout the selection process—backed by best practices in procurement and negotiation.
Task 7: Implementation of New Solid Waste Management System Timeline: July 1, 2027 – December 31, 2029
Objective: Guide the City and selected hauler(s) through a smooth transition into the new service model while maintaining service continuity and achieving policy goals.
Methodology:
• Create a comprehensive implementation plan and timeline. • Facilitate coordination between City staff and new hauler(s). • Develop performance tracking tools, reporting templates, and monitoring dashboards. • Support customer communication strategy (postcards, FAQs, multilingual notices). • Monitor service roll-out, provide troubleshooting support, and recommend course corrections if needed.
• Conduct quarterly implementation review meetings and adjust KPIs as necessary.
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RAFTELIS 12
Meetings: • Transition planning workshop • Monthly hauler check-ins • Quarterly progress and performance review meetings Deliverables: • Final Implementation Plan and Timeline • Franchisee Compliance Tracking Tools • Customer Communication Templates • Year-One Implementation Review Report Interrelationship of Tasks: Task 7 brings the entire project to life—executing the plan developed through Tasks 2–6. A successful implementation depends on the clarity of franchise terms (Task 5), the quality of selected partners (Task 6), and the City’s ability to manage and monitor new service expectations. This task also provides real-world feedback that can inform future adjustments or refinements.
Raftelis Advantage: We stay involved beyond policy adoption—we embed with cities to make sure implementation works. Our operations, legal, and communications experts know how to manage transitions, track performance, and help haulers and staff meet expectations without disruption.
FEES AND COSTS
Fees and Costs
Raftelis proposes completing the full scope of services outlined in this proposal for a total not- to-exceed fee of $204,400, inclusive of all labor, travel, meetings, and administrative costs. This budget reflects a competitive blended hourly rate of $280, consistent with similar solid waste consulting efforts across California, and is structured in alignment with the City’s phased project timeline. Based on our extensive experience with multi-year waste planning and implementation projects, this budget includes ample time for project coordination, stakeholder engagement, internal quality control, and transition support. We are fully confident in our ability to deliver all services within the proposed budget. Any changes to scope or additional work will only be initiated upon mutual agreement in writing.
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RAFTELIS 13
Task-Based Fee Schedule
Task Task Name Estimated
Hours
Blended
Rate
Not-to-
Exceed Fee
Task 1 Evaluation of Current Non-Exclusive
Franchise System
120 hours $280/hour$33,600
Task 2 Report Development &
Recommendations
100 hours $280/hour$28,000
Task 3 Stakeholder Engagement 110 hours $280/hour$30,800 Task 4 City Council Report & Presentation 30 hours $280/hour$8,400 Task 5 RFP Development & Publication 110 hours $280/hour$30,800 Task 6 RFP Response Evaluation & Franchisee
Selection
100 hours $280/hour$28,000
Task 7 Implementation of New Solid Waste
Management System
160 hours $280/hour$44,800
Total 730 hours $280/hour $204,400
Annualized Cost Breakdown
Project Year Tasks Included Estimated Annual Cost
2025 Tasks 1 & 2 $61,600
2026 Tasks 3 & 4 $39,200
2027 Tasks 5 & 6$58,800
2028–2029 Task 7 (Implementation Support) $44,800
Total $204,400
Rate Transparency and Team Structure
This proposal is based on a blended hourly rate of $280/hour, incorporating:
• Project Manager / Senior Consultant– Leading coordination, client communication, and strategic direction
• Subject Matter Experts– Specializing in solid waste finance, policy, franchise systems, and procurement
• Analysts / Associates– Supporting research, data analysis, stakeholder documentation, and engagement
• Principal Oversight– Providing quality control, executive-level insights, and final deliverable review
We prioritize senior-level staffing for complex and client-facing deliverables to ensure accuracy, quality, and alignment with Vernon’s strategic goals.
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RAFTELIS 14
Value-Added Services (Included at No Additional Cost)
To further support successful implementation, Raftelis will also provide: • A customizable franchisee performance dashboard template • Sample hauler reporting and compliance tracking forms • One post-implementation performance review session with City staff at the 6 -month
mark
ABILITY OF THE PROPOSER TO PERFORM
Project Team
The organizational chart below outlines our project structure. Our team has worked together on similar efforts throughout the country, ensuring a seamless, collaborative approach from start to finish. In the following pages, you’ll find brief project descriptions and references highlighting the experience and capabilities we bring to this engagement. See Appendix for resumes.
City of Vernon
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Jennifer Porter
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS
Thierry Boveri, CGFM (Finance)
Eugenia Manwelyan (Grant Funding)
Gina DePinto, APR (Stakeholder
Engagement)
Matt Wittern, APR, PMP
(Stakeholder Engagement)
Jonathan Ingram (Operations)
Scott Parker (Operations)
Susan Healy-Keenes, AICP (Local
Government)
Mahdi Aluzri (Local Government)
Dan Marks, AICP (Local
Government)
STAFF CONSULTANTS
Harold Mitchell, PMP, ACP,
PMI-PBA (Solid Waste)
Sarah Neely (Finance)
Claire Pritchard (Operations)
PROJECT MANAGER
Morgan McCarthy, JD (Legal)
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RAFTELIS 15
PROJECT TEAM HOUR ALLOCATION BY TASK
Staff Role T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 Hours
Morgan
McCarthy
Project Manager /
Legal 25 20 10 10 15 15 20 120
Jennifer
Porter Project Director
4422224 20
Thierry
Boveri Finance SME 15 10
--555 40
Eugenia
Manwelyan
Grant Funding
SME
-4--323 12
Gina DePinto Stakeholder
Engagement SME
-2254--- 31
Matt Wittern Stakeholder
Engagement SME
-2 202--- 24
Jonathan
Ingram Operations SME 10
52-555 32
Scott Parker Operations SME 1181-566 37
Harold
Mitchell
Solid Waste
Operations 20 15
52 20 20 35 117
Sarah Neely Finance Support 15 15-- 10 10- 50
Claire
Pritchard Operations/Analyst 20 15
55 15 15 15 100
Total Task Hours 120 100 110 30 110 100 160 730
Past Performance
Raftelis has provided financial/organizational/technology assistance to utilities serving more than 25% of the U.S. population.
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Partial list of California experience in the last 3 years • Alameda County WD • East Bay MUD • City of Pomona • East Palo Alto • City of Hollister • City of St. Helena • City of Sonoma • Rancho California WD • East Valley WD • Western Municipal WD • City of Long Beach • City of Lincoln • City of Orange • City of Chino • City of Chino Hills • City of San Francisco PUC • City of Malibu • City of Ontario • City of Oxnard • City of Thousand Oaks • City of Huntington Beach • East Orange County WD • Madera County • Municipal Water District of Orange County
• Sweetwater Authority • Las Virgenes MWD • City of Shafter • Yorba Linda WD • Elsinore Valley MWD • City of San Clemente • City of Santa Cruz • City of Beverly Hills • City of Simi Valley • City of West Sacramento • Rincon del Diablo WD • San Juan Capistrano • Santa Fe ID • San Dieguito WD • Channel Islands Beach Community Services
District
• City of St. Helena • Los Angeles DWP • Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts
SOLID WASTE FRANCHISE SYSTEM DESIGN AND EVALUATION
EXPERTISE
Relevant to: Tasks 1 & 2 – System Evaluation and Recommendations Raftelis is a trusted leader in helping communities evaluate and enhance their solid waste systems. We specialize in designing franchise and in-house service models that meet local needs, improve efficiency, and support financial and environmental goals. Our team combines deep operational knowledge with strategic insight to analyze service levels, optimize vendor relationships, and ensure rate structures align with community priorities and regulatory requirements. From cost-of-service studies and benchmarking to contract review and compliance, we deliver practical, actionable solutions that promote transparency, equity, and long-term sustainability.
Leading this effort for Vernon is Morgan McCarthy, JD—a seasoned solid waste expert with a unique blend of legal, technical, and operational experience. Morgan has led more than 50 successful projects across California, supporting cities and counties through system evaluations, franchise transitions, RFP development, and contract negotiations. Her portfolio includes work in Carlsbad, Oceanside, Oakland, Contra Costa County, Kern County, and over 23 community service districts. Highlights of her work include:
• Drafting and negotiating agreements for collection, processing, and disposal of trash, recycling, food waste, and organics
• Leading procurement efforts for both franchise and in-house service models • Guiding elected officials, legal teams, and stakeholders through complex transitions with clarity and confidence
Morgan brings the proven expertise and leadership needed to help Vernon build a solid waste system that is efficient, equitable, and future-ready.
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Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government KY
Reference: Pete Flood, Director Compliance & Enforcement / P: 502.574.1100 / E:
[email protected] / Key Personnel Involved: Morgan McCarthy (PM), Jennifer Porter (PD), Harold Mitchell (Support) / Municipal Service Feasibility Study and Regional Benchmarking Raftelis is currently working with the Louisville Metro Waste Management District (WMD) to evaluate the feasibility of transitioning waste and recycling collection services from contracted providers to a municipally operated system. The study covers all major service streams—garbage, recycling, yard waste, and bulky waste—and includes a detailed cost- per-household analysis. Our approach incorporates benchmarking against peer jurisdictions, service level evaluation, and community impact assessments using statistically significant, ZIP- code-level data. The outcome will be a set of actionable recommendations designed to improve cost efficiency, equity, and service quality across the District. This engagement supports WMD’s broader goals outlined in Kentucky’s Solid Waste Management Five-Year Plan, positioning Louisville Metro for a more sustainable, accountable, and community-responsive waste system.
City of Albemarle NC
Reference: Ross Holshouser, Public Works Director / P: 704.984.9675 / E:
[email protected] / Key Personnel Involved: Morgan McCarthy (PM), Jennifer Porter (PD), Harold Mitchell (Finance), Jon Ingram (Op SME) / Collection Feasibility Study and Implementation Planning. In 2024, the City of Albemarle engaged Raftelis to assess the feasibility of transitioning its contracted municipal solid waste, recycling, and construction and demolition (C&D) debris collection services to in-house operations. The project focuses on evaluating the operational, financial, and infrastructure requirements of such a transition, with the goal of enhancing service quality, long-term sustainability, and local control. Raftelis conducted a comprehensive review of the City’s current waste management system, identifying gaps in service, estimating staffing and equipment needs, and developing detailed cost comparisons between contracted and municipal models. The team is also facilitating ongoing engagement with City officials and stakeholders to ensure alignment with Albemarle’s strategic priorities. The project will culminate in a phased implementation plan and set of actionable recommendations designed to position the City for a smooth transition, improved service delivery, and lasting financial resilience.
Oklahoma City Water Utilities Trust OK
Key Personnel Involved: Thierry Boveri (PM), Sarah Neely (Support) / Franchise System Evaluation, Feasibility Study, and Long-Term Financial Planning. The City of Oklahoma City provides solid waste services to approximately 645,000 residents through a hybrid model— contracted haulers serve 60% of customers, while in-house crews serve the remaining 40%.
Services include refuse, recycling, bulky waste, and City-run programs such as neighborhood cleanups, HHW collection, rural recycling centers, and street sweeping. Raftelis was engaged to conduct a comprehensive cost-of-service study and 10-year financial forecast, addressing fleet replacement, capital needs, and operational costs. We recommended rate adjustments and reserve strategies and calculated program-level costs for bulky waste, recycling, illegal dumping, and street litter. Raftelis also conducted a feasibility analysis for bringing contracted services in- house, modeling staffing, routing, equipment, fuel, and communications impacts. Our data- driven insights supported Oklahoma City in evaluating service delivery options and planning for a more sustainable and efficient system.
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EFFECTIVE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH
STRATEGIES
Relevant to: Tasks 3 & 4 – Stakeholder Engagement and Council Presentation Raftelis has led some of the most thoughtful and inclusive stakeholder engagement efforts in California and beyond. Our approach combines strategic messaging with robust data gathering to ensure communities are not only informed, but meaningfully involved in shaping system improvements. We’ve led successful bilingual outreach campaigns, developed micro-targeted messaging, and designed public input strategies that strengthen political support and project outcomes.
Madera County CA
Reference: Jared Carter, P.E., Deputy Public Works Director / P: 559.675.7811 / E:
[email protected] / Key Personnel Involved: Thierry Boveri (PM), Sarah Neeley (Support), Matt Wittern (Engagement Lead). Raftelis led a comprehensive outreach campaign to support a solid waste system evaluation, combining data analysis with deep engagement. We designed bilingual digital campaigns, conducted 12 interviews, launched a microsite, and hosted four public meetings—helping the County navigate controversial rate changes and service policies. The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved our recommendations with no public opposition, due to the trust and transparency built during the process.
City of Santa Cruz CA
Key Personnel Involved: Gina DePinto (PM), Matt Wittern (Support). We partnered with the City to explain necessary water rate increases through multilingual messaging, interactive workshops, and targeted digital outreach. This proactive communication strategy improved public understanding and built trust around rate decisions.
City of West Sacramento CA
Key Personnel Involved: Gina DePinto (Lead). To support a utility rate study, we implemented a communications plan centered on equity and accessibility, using neighborhood events, hybrid meetings, and messaging in English, Spanish, and Russian. These efforts built foundational trust that led to the City’s strategic pause and later resumption of the rate process.
SOLID WASTE FINANCIAL FORECASTING, RATE-SETTING, AND
BENCHMARKING
Relevant to: All Tasks – Particularly foundational for Tasks 1, 2, 5, and 6 Raftelis brings unmatched experience in developing cost-of-service models, rate studies, and long-range financial plans. Our models are trusted across California and nationally, used by agencies to inform policy, ensure fairness, and maintain compliance with SB 1383, Prop 218, and more.
City of Oxnard CA
Reference: Brian Yanez, Asst Public Works Director / P: 805.200.5412 / E:
[email protected] / Key Personnel Involved: Thierry Boveri (PM/ Finance Lead), Sarah Neely (Finance Support). The City of Oxnard, serving over 40,000 customers and operating the Del Norte Regional Recycling and Transfer Station, processes nearly 295,000 tons of waste annually. Facing rising costs and regulatory pressures, the City engaged Raftelis to conduct its first cost-of-service analysis in over a decade and a solid waste impact fee study.
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Our work evaluated funding strategies for fleet and facility upgrades and developed a five-year financial plan and rate model aligned with SB 1383 requirements. We introduced equitable, cost- based rate structures across all customer classes and ensured adequate reserves. With this foundation, Oxnard is set to present a financially sustainable, regulation-ready rate plan to City Council in FY 2025.
City of Lincoln CA
Key Personnel Involved: Thierry Boveri (PM/ Finance Lead), Sarah Neely (Finance Support).
The City of Lincoln provides solid waste collection to over 50,600 customers through a one-bin system combining garbage, recycling, and organics. Materials are processed at WPWMA’s mixed-waste MRF and landfill. To support financial stability and compliance with SB 1383 and fleet electrification goals, the City engaged Raftelis to develop a multi-year financial plan and conduct a cost-of-service and rate study. We built a customized, scenario-based model to evaluate rate alternatives, capital planning, routing changes, and fleet needs. Raftelis delivered a five-year rate plan focused on full cost recovery, reserve building, and adaptability. We also benchmarked peer rates and prepared Proposition 218-compliant materials. The final plan advanced Lincoln’s goals of sustainability, equity, and simplicity.
Seattle Public Utilities WA
Key Personnel Involved: Jennifer Porter (PD), Eugenia Manwelyan (PM). Raftelis played a key role in five comparative reports for Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) which tasked with managing the City of Seattle’s water and waste resources to promote the well-being of its residents, the environment, and the local economy. SPU manages a wide range of essential services for Seattle's 1.4 million residents, including Solid Waste Management, which encompasses collecting, transferring, processing, and disposing of garbage, recycling, compost, and other waste materials generated by residential, multifamily, commercial, and self-haul customers.
Raftelis is currently working with SPU on a Solid Waste Benchmarking Research and Report that will help SPU decrease the waste stream, decrease garbage can size, and responded to expected changes in housing density. This report uses benchmarking and best practices in order to help SPU develop specific strategies and programs to meet its goals. Topics covered include:
bulky and special waste, waste management for increased urban density, managing waste at special events, trash compaction, and transparent customer billing.
Hillsborough County FL
Key Personnel Involved: Thierry Boveri (PM/ Finance Lead), Sarah Neely (Finance Support).
Raftelis partnered with Hillsborough County to develop a comprehensive six-year financial forecast and revenue sufficiency analysis for its Solid Waste Division, covering both disposal and collection operations. The study supported long-term fiscal health, infrastructure reinvestment, and strategic rate design. Key tasks included analyzing waste flow and revenue by type and source, forecasting customer growth and waste generation, projecting operating and capital expenses, and designing equitable rates based on cost-of-service principles. Raftelis also prepared board-ready deliverables such as assessment resolutions, fee schedules, and financial models. We continue to support the County with annual model updates to guide budgeting and ensure alignment with its solid waste business plan—helping maintain a fiscally sound, efficient, and forward-looking program.
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PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACTING FOR SOLID WASTE SERVICES
Relevant to: Tasks 5 & 6 – RFP Development and Evaluation Raftelis has deep experience in developing solid waste RFPs and facilitating hauler selection processes. Our procurement support includes drafting clear scopes of work, evaluation criteria, performance metrics, and stakeholder engagement to ensure a smooth, defensible process.
Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County TN References: Amanda Deaton-Moyer, Metro Finance Department, Asst Director / P: 615.862.4782 / E: [email protected] / Key Personnel Involved: Scott Parker (Lead), Harold Mitchell (Support). The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County engaged Raftelis to evaluate the structure, capacity, and strategic direction of its solid waste services, with the goal of establishing a stand-alone Solid Waste Department.
Historically housed within Public Works and later Metro Water Services, Waste Services needed a governance structure aligned with the City's ambitious Zero Waste Master Plan adopted in 2021. Raftelis conducted a comprehensive organizational assessment focused on aligning staffing, funding, and operational frameworks with Nashville’s zero waste goals. We delivered two key outputs: (1) A memo to City Council recommending the creation of a new Director of Solid Waste position; and (2) A strategic report outlining a future-ready organizational structure, cost-of-service financial model updates, and prioritized actions for department launch and early success. Additionally, Raftelis supported Metro Water Services in designing and analyzing two large-scale customer satisfaction surveys, each with over 5,000 responses. The surveys provided valuable insights into public perceptions, helping MWS evaluate the effectiveness of recent service changes and reinforcing their commitment to continuous improvement and public transparency.
City of Memphis TN
Reference: Philip Davis, PG, Solid Waste Director / P: 901.636.6872 / E:
[email protected] / Key Personnel Involved: Harold Mitchell (Support). For nearly a decade, Raftelis has served as a trusted advisor to the City of Memphis Solid Waste Division, supporting over 200,000 service points across garbage, recycling, and bulk waste collection. Our partnership began with an evaluation of bulk waste service delivery options, leading to the development of a comprehensive multi-year rate plan that included cost benchmarking, operational revenue analysis, and full cost recovery modeling. Raftelis created a dynamic financial model incorporating baseline cost updates and scenario planning, enabling Memphis to make informed decisions about service levels and long-term sustainability. As customer demands, costs, and Council priorities have evolved, Raftelis has continued to support the Division in addressing funding challenges—most recently assisting with a new rate strategy to replenish depleted reserves in the solid waste enterprise fund. Beyond rate-setting, Raftelis provides monthly budget tracking, financial analysis, and support for the Division’s annual budget process, including redline/blackline reviews. We also advise on enhanced service delivery strategies, particularly around bulk waste collection and city beautification. This enduring relationship demonstrates Raftelis’ commitment to advancing Memphis’ operational excellence, financial resilience, and community responsiveness.
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IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING AND SYSTEM TRANSITION SUPPORT
Relevant to: Task 7 – Implementation of New Solid Waste Management System Raftelis goes beyond planning—we guide our clients through seamless transitions from concept to execution. Whether launching a new franchise agreement, transitioning to in-house services, or rolling out new customer billing systems, we provide comprehensive support that includes vendor onboarding, operational logistics, staff training, customer communications, and post- launch troubleshooting. Our experience ensures that new systems are implemented on time, within budget, and with minimal disruption.
Montgomery County Environmental Services OH
Raftelis partnered with Montgomery County to modernize its solid waste billing system, leading the design and implementation of the Montgomery County Annual Property Charge (MCAPC).
This parcel-based solution connects hauler-reported service volumes directly to property billing, improving accuracy and efficiency. Raftelis oversaw the full 2023 launch—including system integration, stakeholder outreach, and customer support—and continues to provide frontline service. With only 150 inquiries after rollout, the transition was smooth and well-received. We also resolved business billing issues and staffed a support center for three months post-launch.
The project highlights our ability to deliver complex operational changes with precision, responsiveness, and long-term impact.
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APPENDIX: AFFIDAVIT OF NON-COLLUSION
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APPENDIX: RESUMES
Jennifer Porter
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Principal Consultant
ROLE
Jennifer will provide input and guidance as a Subject
Matter Expert for the sustainability components of
this project and work at the direction of Morgan.
PROFILE
Jennifer is a planning leader with more than 20 years
of experience in government and private sector
sustainability, circularity and solid waste/sustainable materials management initiatives. Jennifer has
demonstrated team building skills and has led client
projects in-person and virtually in 18 states and
territories in the US and internationally, as well as
with one of the world’s largest retail brands. A
Certified Practitioner in Zero Waste
Principles/Practices, Jennifer’s specializations include sustainability, zero waste, circular economy, solid
waste, sustainable materials management,
communications and team building. Skilled in
program development, project management and
scenario evaluation, Jennifer has worked on dozens of
complex public- and private-sector client projects.
She has also held past leadership positions with the
Clean Cities Coalition and the Association of Oregon
Recyclers and is the author of more than 25 published
industry articles/speaking engagements promoting
thought leadership.
KEY PROJECT EXPERIENCE
Orange County (NC): Road to Zero Waste
Plan
Jennifer was project manager leading the team
developing a long-term solid waste master plan, Road
to Zero Waste Plan, aiming to identify a sustainable
business model for managing waste that considers the
Professional History • Raftelis: Principal Consultant
(2024-present)
• GBB: Chief Operating Officer
(2023-2024); Senior Vice
President (2022-2024); Vice
President (2020-2022);
Senior Project Manager
(2017-2020); Associate
(2016-2017)
• Rivertown Composting: Chief
Operating Officer (2014-
2016)
• Healthy Buildings: Manager
of Corporate Sustainability
(2013-2014)
• Pike/Wayne Workforce:
Director (2008-2013)
• City of Portland, Bureau of
Planning and Sustainability:
Conservation Program
Coordinator (2002-2008)
Education • Master of Urban and
Regional Planning - Portland
State University (2003)
• Bachelor of Arts in
Psychology - Wells College
(1998)
Certifications • OSHA 30-Hour Construction • SWANA / CRRA Certified Practitioner in Zero Waste
Principles & Practices
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financial, social, and environmental impacts on the community while setting forth the future programs, initiatives, facilities, and infrastructure needed to reach the plan goal of zero waste by 2045. The County moved to implementation with both a short- and long-term path forward.
Engaging traditionally marginalized groups was mission critical for this project and the outreach included a farmer’s market blitz, one-on-one meetings, engaging signage and materials, as well as an online community survey and on-site meeting interpreters in English, Spanish, Burmese and Mandarin.
Confidential Client (CA): Response to Municipal RFP for Solid Waste For a confidential regional private-sector client, Jennifer was project manager for the preparation of a proposal in response to a public procurement for a 10-year franchise collection and processing (residential, multifamily, and commercial) services contract, competently completing tasks in a time-sensitive manner.
Professional Memberships • American Planning Association (APA) • Climate & Energy Working Group of the American Sustainable Business Network • International Society of Sustainability Professionals • Solid Waste Association of North America – Sustainable Materials Management Advocacy Committee
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Morgan McCarthy JD
PROJECT MANAGER
Manager
PROFILE
With over 18 years of experience in solid waste,
recycling, yard waste, and food waste management
across public and private sectors, Morgan McCarthy
is a recognized leader in the industry. She has a
proven track record of designing and implementing
innovative and cost-effective solutions to complex
environmental challenges for cities, counties, and
states.
Morgan’s expertise includes franchise agreement
drafting and negotiation, RFP development,
municipal code drafting, waste audits, feasibility
studies, and regulatory compliance. She has delivered
measurable results for a wide range of clients by
developing sustainable strategies, improving
operational efficiency, and ensuring alignment with
local and state regulations. Her leadership and
analytical skills make her uniquely qualified to guide
the County toward achieving its waste management
goals.
FEATURED EXPERIENCE • Directed 56 high-impact projects, providing tailored solutions in waste audits, franchise agreements, RFP
development, financial analyses, strategic planning,
and management consulting services to municipalities
throughout California.
• Developed and negotiated comprehensive agreements
for solid waste, yard and food waste, and recycling
collection, processing, and disposal. Delivered
successful outcomes for diverse clients, including Taft, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Dublin, Oakland, Contra Costa
County, Kern County, San Luis Obispo County, and
over 23 community service districts.
• Created and released RFPs for material collection,
processing, and disposal. Evaluated proposals,
Professional History • Raftelis: Manager (2024
-
present)
• GBB: Project Manager (2022-
2024)
• HF&H: Project Manager
(2019-2022)
• MuniEnvironmental: Project
Manager (2015-2019)
• EDCO: Director of Special
Projects (2014-2015)
• Rent-a-Bin: Facilities Director
(2006-2012)
Education • Juris Doctor
- Thomas
Jefferson School of Law
(2014)
• Bachelor of Science in
Computer Science, minor in
Business, Magna Cum Laude - Liberty University (2007)
Certifications • SWANA / CRRA Certified
Practitioner in Zero Waste
Principles and Practices
(2023)
• SWANA Certification for
Integrated Solid Waste
Management (2023)
• Project Management
Professional (PMP) In
Progress
Professional Memberships • SWANA
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negotiated complex contract changes, and provided actionable recommendations to help cities and counties select the best service providers.
Morgan’s ability to blend technical expertise with strategic vision and collaboration ensures effective, sustainable solutions for her clients. Her experience working with a broad range of stakeholders positions her as a trusted partner in driving successful outcomes for complex waste management initiatives.
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Thierry Boveri CGFM
FINANCE SME
Vice President
PROFILE
Thierry is a Vice President with Raftelis and brings a client focused approach with a desire to add value through
creative problem solving and attention to detail. Thierry is a Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM) and
leads our firm’s solid waste financial planning and cost of service practice. He customarily performs engagements
within California and maintains west coast hours of
operations for such engagements. He has served over 65
local governments, including many he has served on an
on-going basis since he began his career. Thierry also has significant experience in the performance of financial
feasibility and disclosure reports totaling over $2 billion in proceeds issued through the traditional bond market, state revolving, and bank loans. His solid waste technical
expertise includes: • Long-Range Financial Modeling / Planning in Support of Master Plans
• Solid waste collection and disposal cost of service and rate studies
• Assistance in formation of Solid Waste Enterprise Fund and development of residential assessments
• Triple Bottom Line (TBL) Economic Analyses including
financial, environmental, and social components
• Financial and economic evaluations of solid waste system operations
• E.g., full and marginal cost evaluations, cost benefit analyses, Landfill financial assurance, revenue
enhancements (host fees, out-of-county rates, etc.),
recycling market evaluations and other analyses.
• Landfill capacity utilization and closure and post-closure care financial assurance
• Review of contractual arrangements (e.g., evaluation of collection hauler bids / contracts)
• Assistance in development of municipal interlocal
agreements
• Assistance in feasibility studies in the issuance of debt (i.e., Bond Feasibility studies) and assistance in development of Bond Resolution / Trust Indenture agreements
Professional History • Raftelis Board of
Director (2023 –
Present)
• Raftelis: Vice President
(2022-present); Senior
Manager (2019-2021);
Associate, PRMG
(2005-2019)
Education • Bachelor of Arts in
Economics; Bachelor of
Arts in International
Business - Rollins
College (2005)
Certifications • Certified Government
Financial Manager, No.
15483
Professional
Memberships • Solid Waste Association
of North America:
Finance & Planning
Committee
• AWWA: Rates &
Charges Committee
• WEF: Utility
Management
Committee
• Government Finance
Officers Association
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RAFTELIS 28
Thierry is an active member of several industry associations, including SWANA, and has been a primary author to several publications and a featured speaker at several conferences including Solid Waste Legislation and Policies Panelist at the 2020 national Swanapalooza Virtual Conference, Landfill Topics panel discussion panelist 2021 SWANA Spring Conference. He last presented on the “Top 5 Keys to Successful Financial Planning for Solid Waste Mangers” at the 2021 SWANA Wastecon and “MRF Funding Roadmap for Local Governments” at the 2022 SWANA Wastecon.
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Eugenia Manwelyan
GRANT FUNDING SME
Manager
PROFILE
Eugenia is a well-versed planning practitioner with
15 years of experience in sustainability, resilience,
community engagement, and environmental justice.
She has occupied a wide range of multi-disciplinary
roles as a consultant, county government senior
planner, non-profit executive director, and visiting
professor at Columbia University. She has
implemented projects ranging from food waste
recovery and community solar to circularity and
climate resilience.
Eugenia has an up-to-date understanding of the
newly available federal funding resources for
environmental infrastructure and has extensive
experience matching these resources with high
impact projects that solve complex problems. She
has helped public and private sector clients navigate
and apply for grants, loans, and newly available tax
credits. Eugenia has given talks and published
articles about operationalizing equity, leveraging
public private partnerships, and using federal
resources to build climate resilient infrastructure.
PROJECT LIST • Metro (OR) – Bulky waste collection study and pilot program development
• City of Falls Church (VA) – Twenty-year solid waste
management plan
• Calaveras County (CA) – Integrated solid waste
management system review, fee study, grant writing
• Campbell County (VA) – Solid waste disposal option
review and five-year tactical plan
• Kent County (MI) – Grant writing
• National Energy USA – Grant research and writing
• Dem-Con Companies, Ramsey/Washington
Recycling & Energy Board (MN) – Grant research
Professional History • Raftelis: Manager (2024
-
present)
• GBB: Project Manager (2020-
2024)
• Sullivan County, NY: Senior
Planner (2018-2020)
• Eco Practicum: Founding
Executive Director (2011-2015)
• Columbia University: Visiting
Professor (2013-2015)
Education • Master of Science, Urban
Planning - Columbia University
(2011)
• Bachelor of Arts, International
Development - McGill
University (2006)
Certifications • OSHA General Industry
Professional Memberships • American Planning Association (APA)
• American Sustainable
Business Network (ASBN):
Circular Economy Working
Group
• Solid Waste Association of
North America (SWANA):
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Committee
• American Society of
Adaptation Professionals
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and writing; federal resource strategy to access technical assistance, loans, tax credits • Confidential Client – Commodity pricing and waste shed analysis • Charlottesville (VA) – Landfill diversion and waste reduction plan • Southeast Berrien County Landfill Authority (MI) – Technical assistance for business growth strategy • Charles County (MD) – Twenty-year solid waste management plan • Central Virginia Waste Management Authority (VA) – Strategic plan and funding • Barnstable County (MA) – Public outreach to increase waste diversion and recycling • James City County (VA) – Waste collection and consolidation study • Household & Commercial Product Association and the Can Manufacturers Institute (USA) – Research and technical support for the Aerosol Can Recycling Initiative
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Gina DePinto APR
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT SME
Manager
PROFILE
Gina is an award-winning and accredited public
relations professional with more than 34 years of
experience and leadership in crisis communications,
community outreach, advocacy, stakeholder
engagement, marketing, and media relations in the
public and private sectors. Gina’s leadership experience includes communications program management for $2
billion in public transportation and water infrastructure projects, including the Port of Long Beach Gerald
Desmond Bridge Replacement Project and the Orange
County Groundwater Replenishment System. The
GWRS has been covered by international media
including National Geographic, Wall Street Journal,
New York Times, BBC, CNN, and NPR to name a few.
Prior to joining Raftelis, Gina served the residents of Santa Barbara County as the first executive
Communications Manager in the county government’s
171-year history. She advised the County Executive
Team on strategic communications programs, crisis
communication, media relations, issues management,
internal communications, branding and culture change.
During her tenure, the County Emergency Operations
Center was activated 19 times and included two
federally declared disasters, a global pandemic, two
mass casualty incidents, and a $2M embezzlement in
the Public Works Department. Born and raised in
Phoenix, Arizona, DePinto served as a public
information officer for the City of Phoenix, public
relations director for Farnam Companies, Inc. (animal
health and pet products), and coordinated publicity for Olympic and World Champion figure skater Dorothy
Hammill prior to relocating to California. Gina earned a bachelor’s degree in organizational communication
from Arizona State University, is accredited in public
relations from the Public Relations Society of America
(PRSA), and holds certificates in public participation
from the International Association for Public
Professional History • Raftelis: Manager, Strategic
Communications (2022-
present)
• County of Santa Barbara:
Communications Manager
(2016-2022)
• Westbound
Communications: Account
Director (2013-2016)
• Orange County Water
District: Communications
Specialist (2006-2013)
• Bylines Public Relations &
Marketing: Owner/Principle
(1996-2006)
• Farnam Companies: Public
Relations Director (2000-
2003)
Education • Accredited in Public
Relations – PRSA (2013)
• Bachelor of Arts in
Organizational
Communication - Arizona
State University (1987)
Professional Memberships • Public Relations Society of
America
• California Association of
Public Information Officials
• Municipal Management
Association of Southern
California