Title
Professional Services Agreement for Implementation of Remedial Action Plan Modification at Former Gainesville Manufactured Gas Plant Site (Depot Park) (B)
**This item was presented to the UAB on 3/15/17.**
Explanation
From the 1880’s to about 1950, Gainesville Gas Company operated a manufactured gas plant (MGP) on a site at the intersection of SE 1st Street and Depot Avenue. The plant processed coal into coal gas for residential and commercial purposes. Improper disposal of waste generated by the MGP operations (coal tar) and leaky petroleum tanks created soil contamination on the MGP site (Poole Roofing) and adjacent properties (Depot Park). When the City of Gainesville (GRU) purchased the gas company in 1990, they inherited its associated environmental liabilities. In preparation for remediation of the environmental impacts, GRU contracted with Environmental Consulting & Technology, Inc. (ECT) for assessment and characterization of the contamination and to develop a remediation plan for the site.
The remediation plan that was approved by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) called for the installation of wells to monitor the site following active remediation. The first four quarters of monitoring recognized that the data are insufficient to demonstrate any statistically significant trend; therefore, a revised remediation plan has been prepared that will allow for the collection of additional data. FDEP has conceptually agreed to the proposed remediation plan with the condition of the installation of an additional monitoring well that would help during assessment.
A professional services contract is being extended to Environmental Consulting & Technology (ECT) as a source-justified vendor based on their extensive knowledge of the MGP site and the remediation project’s phases of planning, environmental permitting, engineering, contaminated material excavation and disposal, as well as post active remediation compliance monitoring. This scope of work includes, but is not necessarily limited to, the planning, design, and construction of the additional monitoring well, and two (2) years of groundwater sampling and laboratory analyses. A copy of the proposed contract and ECT’s scope of work and proposal are attached for reference.
The UAB asked a number of questions when this item was presented to them and felt that staff's answers were adequate.
Fiscal Note
The Professional Services Agreement is proposed to be awarded to ECT in the amount of $160,250.40 over the next three (3) fiscal years. Funds for this work have been included in the monies borrowed for the Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) Remediation Project. In 2003, the Gas System implemented a cost recovery factor to fund the remediation project. Since that time, the recovery factor has been applied to retail customers’ bills, based on their gas usage. The recovery factor is subject to change depending on the on-going costs associated with the site remediation.
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Commission: 1) authorize the General Manager or his designee to execute a contract with Environmental Consulting & Technology (ECT), subject to approval of the City Attorney, for the installation of a groundwater monitoring well and groundwater sampling and laboratory analysis; 2) approve the issuance of a purchase order to ECT for the work in the amount of $160,250.40.
The UAB voted 6-0 with Member Walpole absent to recommend the City Commission approve this item.