REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL AND
CORONA UTILITY AUTHORITY ACTION
DATE: 09/20/2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
Honorable President and Board Members
FROM: Utilities Department
SUBJECT:
Title
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH NARASIMHAN CONSULTING SERVICES, INC. FOR DESIGN AND ENGINEERING SERVICES
End
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to approve a Professional Services Agreement through September 30, 2025, with Narasimhan Consulting Services, Inc. for Design and Engineering Services for 1,2,3,-Trichloropropane and Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances remediation and treatment. The prior firm providing this service dissolved its potable water division during the study.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council:
a. Approve the Professional Services Agreement with Narasimhan Consulting Services, Inc. dba NCS Engineers for Design and Engineering Services for a term of two years in the amount of $300,000 per fiscal year.
b. Authorize City Manager, or his designee, to execute the Professional Services Agreement with Narasimhan Consulting Services, Inc. dba NCS Engineers in the amount of $300,000 per fiscal year, including any non-substantive extensions, change orders, purchase orders, and amendments up to the amount authorized by Corona Municipal Code Section 3.08.070(I), which is equivalent to 10% or $30,000.
c. Authorize an appropriation in the amount of $300,000 from the Water Utility Fund (570) to the PFAS and 1,2,3 TCP Remediation Capital Improvement Project No. UT-2024-10.
d. Make a determination under Corona Municipal Code Section 3.08.140(E) that competitive bidding is not required for this purchase based upon the reasons provided in this agenda report.
That the Corona Utility Authority review, ratify, and to the extent necessary, direct the City Council to take the above actions.
Body
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
On June 19, 2019, City Council awarded Request for Proposals (RFP) 19-016CA for On-Call Engineering and Professional Services Contracts to multiple vendors for multiple disciplines. Montrose Water and Sustainability Services, Inc. (Montrose) was awarded a Professional Services Agreement for Water Treatment Systems Design in the amount of $250,000 per year up through June 30, 2025. Starting in November 2019, engineers from Montrose began working on preliminary design criteria for treatment of 1,2,3,-Trichloropropane (1,2,3,-TCP) and Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) - specifically Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS).
A total of six water sources (sites) were identified for treatment evaluation. The table below indicates the six water sources and their respective site characteristics including flow rates and contaminant concentrations.
|
Location |
Flow |
Nitrate |
Perchlorate |
1,2,3-TCP |
PFOA |
PFOS |
|
Unit |
gpm |
mg/L as N |
µg/L |
ng/L |
ng/L |
ng/L |
|
Well 7A |
640 |
49 |
4.6 |
3.5 |
95 |
110 |
|
Well 8A |
1,110 |
30 |
0.3 |
1.5 |
150 |
170 |
|
Well 17A |
550 |
22 |
0.3 |
5.4 |
180 |
230 |
|
IXTP Influent |
2,400 |
47.7 |
2.5 |
8.2 |
103 |
115 |
The primary purpose of the study was to identify and evaluate water treatment options by granular activated carbon (GAC) or ion exchange (IX) adsorption process to address PFOA, PFOS, and 1,2,3-TCP at the specific sites of interest identified above. As part of the study, rapid small-scale column testing was performed on water samples from these locations with multiple types of IX and GAC media. Preliminary layouts and cost estimates were also developed.
Rapid small-scale column testing was conducted to determine the effectiveness of PFAS and 1,2,3-TCP removal by different media in the six selected water sources. Each water source was evaluated with two types of GAC and one IX resin. The GAC used were Filtrasorb 400 (F400) and Filtrasorb 600 (F600) from Calgon Carbon, which have been widely used in drinking water treatment. The IX resins were selected from several different commercial products. The resin candidates for IXTP Influent, Desalter Brine, and WWTP Effluent were determined based on the Preliminary Batch Adsorption Tests.
As of this report, the perchlorate- and nitrate-selective resins have been removed and replaced with GAC completing the first phase of the modifications at the treatment plant. The team has prepared conceptual drawings for the next phase of treatment, but further design work is necessary to ensure the City’s water system has appropriate treatment for these constituents now and into the future. Also, additional state and federal regulations regarding PFAS are imminent, and the City needs to be prepared to respond accordingly to ensure all water is treated to the applicable requirement.
ANALYSIS:
In 2020, during the preparation of this study, the City was notified that Montrose dissolved the potable water division of their firm and the engineers moved to Narasimhan Consulting Services, Inc. dba NCS Engineers. The engineers continued to provide this service as a sub-consultant for Montrose through 2022 but Montrose can no longer support this function.
BASIS FOR EXCEPTION TO COMPETITIVE BIDDING
Staff believes that an exception to competitive bidding is warranted for this purchase pursuant to Corona Municipal Code (“CMC”) Section 3.08.140(E) which states as follows:
“Purpose of bidding is otherwise accomplished. When the purchasing agent and the authorized contracting party, with the approval of the City Manager, determine that it is in the best interest of the city and its administrative operations to dispense with public bidding for non-public projects under this chapter.”
Staff believes that NCS Engineering, who has been working on the study and design up to this point, is the most knowledgeable about Corona’s specific requirements and needs for treatment. To continue the planning, design, and management of the project in the most efficient manner, it is in the best interest of the City to continue the project with NCS Engineers.
Under the proposed agreement, NCS Engineers will provide the following services:
• Validate the 30% drawings
• Develop 60%/90%/100% final design drawings for treatment at Wells 7A, 8A, and the GAC treatment plant at City Park
• Prepare project specifications
• Provide bid support for construction of treatment
• Review RFIs and submittals
• Perform construction inspections
• Perform special and code-related inspections
• Startup assistance and commissioning
• Prepare record drawings
• Project Management, Coordination, and Meetings
• Provide as-needed support
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Approval of the recommended actions will result in an appropriation of $300,000 from the Water Utility Fund (570) to the PFAS and 1,2,3 TCP Remediation Capital Improvement Project No. UT-2024-10 for Fiscal Year 2024. Future funding will be included in the annual budget request process.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
These actions are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Action (CEQA), as the actions are not a “project” as defined by CEQA (PRC Section 21065 and CEQA Guidelines Section 15378), guidelines which define a “project” as the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or reasonable foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and that is an activity directly undertaking by any public agency including public works construction and related activities. These actions involve the approval of a professional services agreement. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required at this time. After approval of the recommended actions herein, staff will proceed with the design and environmental document phase of this project. Any applicable documentation will be prepared and filed at that time.
PREPARED BY: KATIE HOCKETT, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES
REVIEWED BY: TOM MOODY, DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES
Attachment:
1. Exhibit 1 - Professional Services Agreement