Title
Professional Environmental Services (B)
Staff recommends approval of the final ranking of the environmental consulting firms and authorization to negotiate a contract in accordance with the Consultants' Competitive Negotiations Act (CCNA) for professional environmental service.
Explanation
The Utility has an ongoing need for professional environmental consulting services including ecosystem consulting, water quality modeling, constructed wetland system optimization, wetland delineation and lab water quality analysis for the Utility's projects. One such project is the Sweetwater Branch/Paynes Prairie Sheetflow Restoration project approved by the City Commission on April 9, 2007. Due to this project and the ongoing need for environmental consulting services for other approved projects, including a wetlands delineation and mitigation pilot at the Kanapaha Water Reclamation Facility, staff recommends establishing a five year contract with a qualified firm to perform these services through authorized Task Assignments.
Utilities Purchasing issued a Request for Statement of Qualifications (RFSQ) for professional environmental consulting services to twenty-four engineering and consulting firms. The RFSQ was posted on GRU's website. Four firms submitted Statements of Qualifications which were evaluated and ranked in accordance with specific selection criteria as outlined in the RFSQ and the CCNA. Staff wishes to initiate negotiations with the top ranked firm. If staff is unable to negotiate an acceptable contract with the top ranked firm, it may initiate negotiations with the others firms in order of ranking. The ranking of firms in order of preference is as follows:
Wetland Solutions, Inc
Biological Research Associates
Dyer, Riddle, Mills and Precourt
Environmental Engineering Consulting, Inc.
Recommendations
The City Commission: 1) approve the final ranking of environmental consulting firms in the given order of preference for professional environmental services; 2) authorize the General Manager, or his designee, to initiate contract negotiations with the top ranked firm in accordance with the Consultants' Competitive Negotiations Act (CCNA); and 3) authorize the General Manager, or his designee, upon successful negotiations, to execute a five year contract with the highest ranked firm, subject to approval of the City Attorney as to form and legality, in an amount not to exceed budgeted amounts and final appropriation of funds for each year of the contract.
Fiscal Note
Funding for this request is contained within the approved Utility budget for FY 08 and will be requested in future budgets.
Drafter
Prepared by Ed Regan, P.E., Assistant General Manager for Strategic Planning
Submitted by Robert E. Hunzinger, General Manager