Agenda Item Wording:
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Consultant Services Contract with Provost & Pritchard - Authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with Provost & Pritchard for professional consulting services for the Cameron Creek Linear Recharge Project in the amount not to exceed $236,259.00.
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Deadline for Action: 02-20-2024 (SGMA grant deadline for completion of design is July 30, 2024)
Submitting Department: Administration - CIP Engineering
Contact Name and Phone Number:
Vikram Manke, Assistant Engineer, Vikram.Manke@visalia.city, (559) 713-4491
Dolores Verduzco, Financial Analyst, Dolores.Verduzco@visalia.city, (559) 713-4540
Lupe Garcia, Acting City Engineer, Lupe.Garcia@visalia.city, (559) 713-4197
Jason Huckleberry, Director, Jason.Huckleberry@visalia.city, (559) 713-4495
Department Recommendation:
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with Provost & Pritchard for professional consulting services for the Cameron Creek Linear Recharge Project in the amount not to exceed $236,259.00.
Background Discussion:
On February 7, 2022, the City Council adopted Resolution 2022-06 authorizing the Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency to submit a grant application on behalf of the City of Visalia for the Cameron Creek Check Structure project. The Department of Water Resources (DWR) administers the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) grant program with funds authorized under the California Budget Act of 2021 and Proposition 68. Projects are intended to address groundwater investments and drought to achieve regional sustainability investments in groundwater recharge projects and other conjunctive use projects.
Under authorization from Council Resolution 2022-06, the City of Visalia, through Greater Kaweah GSA, submitted grant applications for three projects: Cameron Creek Check Structures Project, Northern Cameron Basin Project, and Southern Cameron Basin Project. Out of the three submitted, Cameron Creek Check Structures project was awarded a grant by DWR in the amount of $2,000,000, while the other two projects were not selected.
Project Description and Scope:
The project goal is to increase groundwater recharge through linear water pools that will infiltrate over time to recharge the groundwater. The goal will be achieved through the construction of check structure facilities within Cameron Creek. The check structures will be equipped with automatic gates capable of passing high flows while maintaining high water levels in the channel making Cameron creek a linear recharge basin. The project location falls just outside the eastern boundary of City of Visalia. The section of the Cameron Creek to be utilized starts near the intersection of Road 148 (Tower Road) and Walnut Avenue, with the end location near Lovers Lane and Caldwell Avenue intersection (see attached project location exhibit).
Project Roles:
Due to the state mandated regional approach to groundwater recharge, this project involves multiple agencies and requires substantial inter-agency coordination with partner agencies from the Greater Kaweah GSA, the Mid-Kaweah GSA, and the State DWR. The project roles among agencies were assigned and negotiated after the finalization of the grant agreement, which itself faced delays due to re-organization of agency roles at the GSA level. For the Mid-Kaweah GSA, which the City of Visalia is part of, Tulare Irrigation District (TID) initially led the project discussions with Greater Kaweah GSA and the State. Through subsequent project coordination amongst the City, TID and Kaweah Delta Water Conservation District (KDWCD), the City of Visalia was asked for assistance to lead the project.
City CIP Engineering staff will oversee the entire project and serve in a project management role ensuring all tasks are completed to acceptable standards, conduct administration, design engineering, permitting, environmental review, and construction. The City will coordinate this project with partner GSA agencies (TID and KDWCD). The City will also work in conjunction with Greater Kaweah GSA (grantee) for grant administration functions.
Provost & Pritchard will provide professional consulting services for engineering, permitting, and environmental compliance to prepare plans, specifications, and estimates (PS&E). The PS&E documents will then be used to obtain bids for the construction of three check structures within Cameron Creek.
TID will assume the responsibility for post-construction operation and maintenance of the check structures. The City’s Water Resource Division will lead the discussion with TID to form an agreement for the post-construction operation and maintenance.
Consultant Selection Process:
Staff advertised a request for proposals from November 21, 2023 to December 21, 2023. Two qualified consulting firms responded and submitted proposals to the City. After thorough review of both proposals, Provost & Pritchard’s proposal was determined to be the most qualified for the project. They have extensive experience with SGMA grant funded projects, including Packwood Creek Check Structure project (managed by KDWCD), which shares many similarities with this project. Following a review of their proposal, refinement of scope, and negotiation of fee, Provost & Pritchard’s total design fee of $236,259.00 is determined to be reasonable.
Fiscal Impact:
The grant agreement between the Department of Water Resources and the Greater Kaweah Groundwater Authority has been executed. The amount awarded specifically for the Cameron Creek Linear Recharge Project is $2,000,000.
The City’s cost share for the post-construction operation and maintenance will be negotiated as part of the agreement with TID. City’s Water Resources Division will lead that future negotiation with TID and it will be in place prior to the completion of construction.
The allocated breakdown of the project budget is as follows:
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Project Funding: |
SGMA Grant Funding Groundwater Recharge Fund #224 |
$2,000,000 $60,000 |
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Total Project Funding: |
$2,060,000 |
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Project Cost: |
Design Staff Time |
$80,047 |
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Design Contract |
$236,259 |
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Construction Cost (Estimated) Staff Indirect Cost |
$1,763,694 $60,000 |
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Total Project Cost (Estimated): |
$2,140,000 |
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Summary: |
Project Funding: Project Cost: |
$2,060,000 ($2,140,000) |
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Funds remaining: |
($80,000) |
There are sufficient funds within the project budget, CP0620, to fund the design phase. Staff is currently estimating a budget deficit of $80,000 for the construction phase. However, this estimate will be revisited once final construction costs are determined at the end of design phase. At the completion of design phase and subsequent bidding phase, staff will return to the City Council to request authorization to execute an agreement with a construction contractor to build the check structures, along with a project and budget update.
Prior Council Action:
June 19, 2023
The City Council accepted and authorized the appropriation of $2,000,000 from the Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program for the Cameron Creek Linear Recharge Project and appropriated $60,000 for staff indirect costs from the Ground Water Recharge Fund (224).
February 7, 2022
The City Council adopted Resolution 2022-06 authorizing the Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GKGSA) to submit a grant application on behalf of the City of Visalia to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) for the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) Call for Projects.
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
I move to authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with Provost & Pritchard for professional consulting services for the Cameron Creek Linear Recharge Project in the amount not to exceed $236,259.00.
Environmental Assessment Status:
To be determined during preliminary engineering phase.
CEQA Review:
To be determined during preliminary engineering phase.
Attachments:
1. Project Location Exhibit
2. Resolution 2022-06
3. File #22-0037
4. File #23-0205