SR-06-25-2013-3VrW
City of City Council Report
Santa Monica
City Council Meeting: June 25, 2013
Agenda Item: 3,v
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Dean Kubani, Director, Office of Sustainability and the Environment
Subject: Continue Contract with ICF Consulting for Environmental Assessment,
Remediation, and Closure services at the Big Blue Bus depot.
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that City Council authorize the City Manager to continue the contract
service agreement with ICF Consulting (8913), a Delaware based company, in an
amount not to exceed $185,000 for environmental assessment, remediation, and
closure services.
Executive Summary
The City employs the services of consultants to provide environmental assessment,
remediation, and monitoring of contaminated soils and groundwater on City property.
Based on the current low level of contamination and the history of the City's efforts to
remediate the groundwater at the BBB site, it is likely that the Los Angeles Regional
Water Quality Control Board (Board) will issue the City a closure letter for the entire site
within the next three months. Once the letter is issued the City will need to remove the
remaining monitoring wells at the BBB site and provide a closure report. The current
contract with ICF Consulting (8913) for environmental remediation services at the BBB
site expired on May 13, 2013 with $185,778 in budget and contract authority. Staff
recommends extending the existing contract with ICF for an additional twelve months in
order to complete the activities associated with closing the BBB site. Once the closure
activities have been completed the City will no longer require the services of a
consultant for environmental assessment, remediation, or monitoring at the BBB site.
Background
The Santa Monica BBB site located at 1620 Sixth Street has been the subject of soil
and groundwater assessments and various remediation activities since 1987 due to
petroleum contamination from various piping leaks and spills from the operation of
storm water clarifiers, oil -water separators, and underground storage tanks. Since the
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identification of these contaminants the City has conducted extensive investigation,
assessment, monitoring, and remediation of the soil and groundwater at the site. ICF
Consulting has been overseeing soil and groundwater clean -up activities at various city
owned properties since September 2000. On April e 2008 the City Council authorized
the City Manager to negotiate and execute a contract with ICF International for
groundwater remediation services at the BBB site in an amount not to exceed $745,100
for up to a 5 year term.
Currently the California Regional Water Quality Control Board (Board) requires the City
to sample a network of monitoring wells at this site and submit a bi- annual report
describing the progress being made towards remediation. The City has reached
significant milestones towards eliminating levels of contamination in the soil and
lowering the presence of contamination in the groundwater through extensive
remediation. The presence of groundwater contamination is at a point where it no
longer presents a significant threat to human health or the environment.
On March 22, 2013 the City submitted a low- threat underground storage tank closure
request to the Board. On May 16, 2013 the Board approved a similar request by the
City to close the underground storage tank program located at the Corporate Yards. It
is very likely the Board will approve the City's request for closure at the BBB site within
the next several months. In order to complete the closure process the City will need to
remove the remaining groundwater monitoring wells and submit a closure report to the
Board.
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Discussion
Contractor Selection
Proposals were originally solicited in November 2007 from seventeen consulting firms
with demonstrated expertise in the necessary technical disciplines. A notice of the
request for proposal was placed in the Santa Monica Daily Press and a posting was
placed on the City's website. A review committee was formed consisting of staff from
the Office of Sustainability and the Environment, Big Blue Bus Department, and Public
Works Department. Of the eight bids received in January 2008, staff selected four
proposals for review by the committee. Based upon ICF's familiarity and history with
these sites, exceptional ability to coordinate with City staff, high level of integrity,
exceptional accuracy and quality of work, and competitive pricing, the committee
unanimously determined that ICF Consulting would best be able to deliver the
professional and time sensitive services required by the City.
The current contract with ICF expired on May 13th, 2013 with a remaining $185,778 in
budget and contract authority which is sufficient to complete the tasks associated with
closing the BBB site. Staff recommends that the contract with ICF be continued for an
additional year to complete the closure process because of the firms familiarity and
history with this site, ability to coordinate with Board staff, high level of integrity, and
exceptional accuracy and quality of work during the preceding five years. Once the
closure activities have been completed the City will no longer need the services of a
consultant to provide environmental assessment, remediation, or monitoring at the BBB
site.
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Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The contract to be awarded to ICF Consulting, LLC is for an amount not to exceed
$185,000. Funds are available in the FY 2012 -13 Capital Improvement Program budget
in account C410107.589000.
Prepared by: James Velez- Conway, Senior Environmental Analyst
Approved:
Dean Kubani
Director, Office of Sustainability and the
Environment
Forwarded to Council:
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Rod Gould
City Manager
Reference:
Contract No. 8913 (CCS)