Report Prepared by: Joseph D. Angulo, Acting Deputy Director of Public Works
Title
SUBJECT: Approval of Amendment to Agreement for Professional Services with Provost and Pritchard Engineering Group, Incorporated, for a Groundwater Monitoring Well and Municipal Well Sampling Services in the Amount of $15,380 for FY2019/20, Plus $13,000 Annually for Fiscal Years 2020/21 and 21/22 for a Total Amount not to Exceed $41,380
REPORT IN BRIEF
Considers authorizing an amendment to an agreement for environmental remediation services in a total amount of $41,380.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion:
A. Approving a contract amendment with Provost and Pritchard Engineering Group, Inc. in the amounts of $15,380 for fiscal year FY 2019/20, and $13,000 annually for each of fiscal years FY 2020/21, and FY 2021/22 to provide groundwater well sampling services; and,
B. Authorizing the City Manager or the Assistant City Manager to execute the necessary documents.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve, as recommended by staff; or,
2. Approve, subject to modifications as conditioned by City Council; or,
3. Refer to staff for reconsideration of specific items; or,
4. Deny.
AUTHORITY
Charter of the City of Merced, Section 200, et seq.
Services with an estimated value greater than $32,000 are made by written contract in accordance with Merced Municipal Code, Title 3 - Revenue and Finance, Chapter 3.04.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
As provided for in the 2019-20 Adopted Budget
DISCUSSION
The California Regional Water Quality Control Board requires the City of Merced (City) to sample groundwater monitoring wells and test for Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) in specified areas around the City.
The California Department of Public Health and State Water Resources Control Board require the City to monitor its drinking water for various contaminants, including the gasoline constituent Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE). Sampling of groundwater monitoring wells and municipal wells is also conducted to support the City MTBE litigation efforts.
The above sampling requirements necessitated procuring the services of an appropriate environmental consulting firm with the relevant expertise. On August 19, 2019, the City Council awarded a three-year $220,800 groundwater sampling contract to Provost and Pritchard Engineering Group, Inc. The contract is apportioned $73,600 equally for each of fiscal years FY 2019/20, FY 2020/21, and FY 2021/22.
The request for proposals that resulted in the contract award stated, “The Consultant shall provide traffic control services at each sampling site as necessary in general conformance to the “California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA MUTCD, latest edition). An initial traffic control plan shall be submitted to the City for approval, and upon approval, thereafter be used for the remainder of the contract term”. After contract award, the Engineering Division instituted new requirements regarding City encroachment permits, traffic control plans and associated notifications to City staff. The new requirements were necessary due to the large increase in permits for private and utility sector improvements in the public right-of-way.
The new requirements forced Provost and Pritchard Engineering Group, Inc. staff to submit additional revisions for traffic control plans to account for other agencies’ work, and to perform City notifications and coordination that were not planned for in their contract cost quote.
In addition to the new City requirements, other factors affected the Provost and Pritchard Engineering Group, Inc. groundwater sampling budget for the fourth quarter of 2019. On September 16, 2019, the City executed a contract with Agee Construction Corporation to perform the “M and Main Street Resurfacing Repairs”, Project No. 119002. This downtown project involved road-resurfacing work adjacent to the Tioga Hotel, El Capitan Hotel and Mainzer Theater reconstruction projects. The City’s assigned project manager directed Provost and Pritchard Engineering Group, Inc. staff to modify their sampling schedule as necessary accommodate the high priority downtown improvements. This required much greater project management/coordination than originally forecast.
Increased contract funding is requested by Provost and Pritchard Engineering Group, Inc. and is warranted as detailed above. The contract amendment amount of $41,380 for increased traffic control related services will be apportioned as $15,380 for FY 2019/20, and $13,000 equally for each of fiscal years FY 2020/21, and FY 2021/22.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
The current Fiscal Year 2019/20 budget includes an adequate balance in the Fund 557-Water System Enterprise Fund, professional services account No. 557-1106-532.17-00, for the first fiscal year 2019/20. Future appropriations will be incorporated into the annual budget.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Original Contract Exhibit C
2. Contract Amendment
3. Well Location Map