City Council Agenda Report
Meeting Date: May 20, 2025
From: Todd Dusenberry, General Manager of Public Utilities Department: Public Utilities
Submitted by: Adriana Ramos, Senior Management Analyst
Subject
Services Agreement with InfraTerra, Inc.
Recommendation
Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute the Services Agreement with InfraTerra, Inc., in substantially the same form as submitted, for the water system seismic vulnerability assessment, in an amount not-to-exceed $242,027.
Background
The water supply and distribution infrastructure of the City is comprised of several components:
6 active groundwater production wells, 4 inactive wells, 14 booster pumps, a 10-million-gallon underground concrete reservoir, 6 one (1) 1-million-gallon above ground steel reservoirs, 1 elevated steel tank with a capacity of 600,000 gallons, and approximately 49 miles of distribution pipeline. Additionally, the City has a connection to the Metropolitan Water District and a recycled water connection.
The City’s water supply and distribution system is experiencing age-related challenges. To mitigate the impact of a significant earthquake in the area and ensure continued reliability of the water system, it is crucial to reduce both the number of repairs required and the length of service interruptions. To maintain a steady water supply for customers while lowering repair expenses for Vernon Public Utilities (VPU), the Water Division is implementing a two-phase strategy to evaluate the seismic risks associated with the current water supply and distribution system.
Phase 1 involves site inspections, data collection, and engineering assessments of the existing facilities and infrastructure. Phase 2 will produce evaluation reports that will offer retrofit suggestions, including structural assessments, and recommendations for the elevated tank. The evaluation reports will aid in future Capital Improvement Planning initiatives, guiding decisions on necessary retrofits, repairs, or infrastructure replacements to improve seismic resilience.
To advance with Phases 1 and 2 and in compliance with Vernon Municipal Code (VMC) Section
3.32.080, on February 18, 2025, staff issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Water System Seismic Vulnerability Assessment. The RFP was advertised on the City’s PlanetBids platform.
The scope of services encompasses a two-step project aimed at assessing the current conditions of the existing water supply and distribution system and sites and providing seismic retrofit recommendations. The RFP issued specifically focused on the assessment of seismic vulnerabilities in the water system. Following the completion of the assessment phase, a Request for Bids or additional RFPs will be issued to create separate contracts for any design or construction work that may arise from this evaluation.
Proposal packages were received from two firms by the March 10, 2025 deadline. A qualified panel thoroughly examined the proposals based on professional qualifications (45%), overall approach and strategy (45%), and responsiveness to the RFP (10%). Both responsive firms met the minimum criteria outlined in the RFP. Interviews were conducted with each of the two responding firms to gauge each firm’s suitability to meet the City’s needs. Based on the evaluation process, the proposal submitted by InfraTerra, Inc. (InfraTerra) demonstrated a combination of expertise, understanding, experience, and a comprehensive approach that was best suited to fulfill the scope of services outlined in the RFP. The proposal submitted by InfraTerra ranked the highest score across the panel and was, therefore, deemed most qualified.
InfraTerra specializes in seismic assessment of water infrastructure and development of mitigation solutions to improve resiliency.
Staff recommends that the City Council approve a Services Agreement with InfraTerra for the water system seismic vulnerability assessment for a total amount not-to-exceed $242,027.
Pursuant to VMC Section 3.32.030(A), City Council approval is required for the proposed agreement, as the total value of the contract exceeds $100,000.
The proposed Services Agreement has been reviewed and approved as to form by the City Attorney’s Office.
Fiscal Impact
The fiscal impact is not to exceed $242,027. Sufficient funds are available in the Water Fund, Capital Outlay, Account No. 058-070-700-660000 for the current fiscal year and additional funds are budgeted in fiscal year 2025-26.
Attachments
1. Services Agreement with InfraTerra, Inc.