SR 07-27-2021 3H
City Council Report
City Council Meeting: July 27, 2021
Agenda Item: 3.H
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Rick Valte, Acting Public Works Director, Public Works, Office of
Sustainability & the Environment
Subject: Award RFP #289 and enter into Agreement with Montrose Environmental for
Operation, Maintenance, and Monitoring of the Landfill Gas Management
System
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Award RFP #289 to Montrose Environmental for the operation, maintenance, and
monitoring of the landfill gas extraction system currently at the City’s Municipal
Yard for the Public Works Department; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with
Montrose Environmental, for a total amount not to exceed $715,211 (including a
$93,288 contingency) over a five-year period, with future funding contingent on
Council budget approval.
Summary
Since 1998, the City has operated a landfill gas extraction and treatment system to
collect and treat landfill gases generated from the former landfill located under portions
of the City’s Municipal Yards (City Yards), Gandara Park, and the Mountain View mobile
home park. Landfill gas monitoring is performed by an independent licensed
environmental contractor to determine if the control system is adequately preventing
potentially hazardous gases from permeating through the landfill cover. The contract
with the current monitoring consultant will expire on August 24, 2021. In June 2021, the
City conducted a competitive selection process for the operation, maintenance, and
monitoring services for the landfill gas extraction system at the City Yards. Staff
recommends Montrose Environmental as the best firm to provide these services. The
scope of services proactively covers any preventive maintenance, upgrades, field
monitoring, and quarterly reports of the landfill gas extraction system submitted to the
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services and South Coast Air Quality
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Management District. To date, the City has remained in compliance with all regulatory
requirements.
Discussion
Portions of the City Yards and Gandara Park were constructed over an inactive landfill
that was created in the late 1940s and was operational until 1970 (Attachment A). The
landfill was primarily used for construction waste comprised of wood, cement, metal,
trees, gypsum, and other construction related materials. In response to the potential
hazard of elevated concentration of toxic air contaminants generated by the
decomposition of the materials in the landfill, the City installed a landfill gas extraction
system to collect and treat the landfill gases starting in July 1998. The main purpose of
landfill gas collection is to control subsurface migration and surface emission of landfill
gas in compliance with federal and state regulations to protect the public and
environment. In high volumes, the composition of landfill gas could pose such
hazardous effects as combustion, asphyxiation, carcinogens, smog formation,
groundwater contamination, and vegetation damage.
A total of 51 gas monitoring probes have been installed throughout the City Yards,
Gandara Park, and the Mountain View mobile home park to monitor subsurface landfill
gas concentrations which indicate whether high levels of landfill gas are escaping from
the landfill surface or whether the landfill gas collection and control system is effectively
working to minimize emissions. Field measurement for landfill gas composition is
commonly done using a GEM2000, a portable electronic instrument, which measures
the percentage of methane, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and nitrogen present. When
required or necessary for verification, field samples are sent to analytical laboratories for
testing using standard Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) methods.
The system is permitted by the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Permit and operational conditions
for the extraction system require periodic monitoring and adjustment to maintain
maximum gas extraction, treatment effectiveness, and regulatory compliance. In
addition, the City is required to submit monitoring reports to both agencies on a
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quarterly basis. Due to the complexity and specialized nature of the engineered system,
it is necessary that these services be provided by a consultant experienced in landfill
gas projects.
Landfill gas conditions vary over time as the extraction system effectively mitigates
different sections of the site. Because of the variability of the site conditions, monitoring
contracts are limited to five-year terms to provide the opportunity to assess reported
metrics and evaluate if new scope is required. This allows the City to maintain constant
operation of the monitoring system while making adjustments, if necessary.
The purpose of this contract is to secure a qualified vendor to perform required landfill
natural monitoring and regulatory reporting. Staff will return to Council in Fall 2021 with
a study session that will include more detailed information on the landfill natural gas
monitoring system, regulatory compliance requirements, and the potential associated
environmental and public health impacts.
Vendor Selection
Bidder Recommendation
Best Qualified Person/Firm Montrose Environmental
Evaluation Criteria
Experience, references, work plans/timelines, project team,
competence/skill, cost, value add/breadth of service, quality of
work/technical capabilities, and ability to provide future services.
Municipal Code SMMC 2.24.190
RFPs Received
AIE Biogas Engineering, Inc. Cardno, Inc. Montrose
Environmental
Stearns, Conrad, and
Schmidt, Consulting
Engineering, Inc
RFP Data
Posted On Posted On
Advertised In
(City Charter & SMMC)
Vendors
Downloaded
Date Publicly
Opened
05/13/2021 City's Online
Bidding Site Santa Monica Daily Press 32 06/21/2021
Justification to Award
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Based on this criteria and criteria in SMMC 2.24.190, staff recommends the current contractor, Montrose
Environmental, as the best qualified person or firm to provide operation, maintenance, and monitoring
services for the landfill gas extraction system at the City Yards in accordance with City specifications,
based on technical expertise, familiarity with the current system, cost of services, professional
background, ability to engage with the community, and proactive and timely approach to monitoring,
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve funds available in the General Fund from the Public
Works Department budget to award a contract with Montrose Environmental for
services related to the operation, maintenance, and compliance sampling and reporting
for the City’s Landfill Gas (LFG) Control System. Future year funding is contingent on
Council budget approval.
Contract Request
FY 2021-22 Budget
Request Amount Department Account # Total Contract
Amount
$137,990 01500020.550010 $715,211
Prepared By: James Velez-Conway, Senior Sustainability Analyst
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Landfill Site Map
B. Montrose Oaks form 2021
C. Written Comments
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TP-5PP-23PP-7TP-6PP-24PP-22TP-4TP-8PP-21PP-6TP-3PP-20PP-5PP-5RPP-14LFG-1PP-13LFG-2PP-16LFG-4PP-4LFP-3LFG-5PP-12LFG-6LFG-9LFG-10LFP-4TP-7PP-8LFP-5PP-25PP-26TP-1PP-27PP-28PP-29PP-1PP-17TP-2PP-18PP-2PP-19PP-10PP-3LFG-7PP-15PP-11PP-9MVP-1MVP-2MVP-3MVP-4MVP-5MVP-6MVP-7MVP-8MVP-9MVP-10PP-17TP-1PP-16LFP-1TP-5PP-5MVP-9LFG-5ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC WORKSMANAGEMENT DEPT.SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENTDEPT.VEHICLE MAINTENANCE DEPT.BERGAMOT STATIONRICHLAR PARTNERSHIPTREATMENTCOMPOUNDFORMER NURSERYDIVISION YARDFIRE DEPT. TRAININGAREASCALE HOUSERECYCLING CENTERCOMPLIANCE PLAN MULTILEVELPROBE LOCATIONCOMPLIANCE PLAN SINGLE-LEVEL PROBELOCATIONMULTILEVEL PROBE LOCATION NOTASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPLIANCE PLANLANDFILL PROBESINGLE-LEVEL PROBE LOCATION NOTASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPLIANCE PLANABANDONED PROBE LOCATIONMULTILEVEL MOUNTAIN VIEW PROBELOCATIONLANDFILL GAS EXTRACTION WELLLOCATIONLANDFILL GAS STRUCTURES LEGENDSITE BOUNDARY (CITY OF SANTAMONICA CORPORATION YARD)ESTIMATED EXTENT OF FORMER CLAYPITS/ASSUMED EXTENT OF REFUSESSSSUMP 1SUMP 3SUMP 2SSUMP 1LANDFILL GAS SYSTEM SUMPBDLG.MONTROSE ENVIRONMENTAL1 PARK PLAZA #1000, IRVINE, CA 92614DESCRIPTION:SHEET:PROJECT LOCATION:CLIENT:PROJECT NO.STATUS:FILE: S:\CITY OF SANTA MONICA (C100392)\029RC1-110708 CITY OF SANTA MONICA LANDFILL\DOCS\REPORTS\2019 REPORTS\3RD QUARTER\FIGURESFIGURE 2 - SITE MAP.DWGREV. DESCRIPTIONDATE10/4/2019 1:48 PMPLOT DATE:M O N T R O S E1 Park Plaza, Suite 1000, Irvine, CA 92614 | t 714.919.6500 | f 949.988.3514FLARE STATION ISOSITE MAPFIG-2SANTA MONICA CORPORATION YARD2500 MICHIGAN AVESANTA MONICA, CACITY OF SANTA MONICADRAFT110708NOTE: ORIGINAL DRAWING AND BASE MAP FROM FIGURE BY ICF (PREVIOUS CONSULTANT)LFG-3LFG-8 PARKGANDARALFP-2LFP-13.H.aPacket Pg. 168Attachment: Landfill Site Map (4517 : Award Contract for Management of the Landfill Gas Management
CITY OF SANTA MONICA
OAKS INITIATIVE NOTICE
NOTICE TO APPLICANTS, BIDDERS, PROPOSERS
AND OTHERS SEEKING DISCRETIONARY PERMITS, CONTRACTS,
OR OTHER BENEFITS FROM THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
Santa Monica's voters adopted a City Charter amendment commonly known as the Oaks Initiative. The Oaks Initiative requires the City to provide this notice and information about the Initiative's requirements. You may obtain a full copy of the Initiative's text from the
City Clerk.
This information is required by City Charter Article XXII-Taxpayer Protection. It prohibits
a public official from receiving, and a person or entity from conferring, specified personal benefits or campaign advantages from a person or entity after the official votes, or otherwise takes official action, to award a "public benefit" to that person or entity. The prohibition applies within and outside of the geographical boundaries of Santa Monica.
All persons or entities applying or receiving public benefits from the City of Santa Monica shall provide the names of trustees, directors, partners, and officers, and names of
persons with more than a 10% equity, participation or revenue interest. An exception exists for persons serving in those capacities as volunteers, without compensation, for organizations exempt from income taxes under Section 501 (c)(3), (4), or (6), of the Internal Revenue Code. However, this exception does not apply if the organization is a political committee or controls political committees. Examples of a "public benefit" include public contracts to provide goods or
services worth more than $25,000 or a land use approval worth more than $25,000 over a 12-month period.
In order to facilitate compliance with the requirements of the Oaks Initiative, the City compiles and maintains certain information. That information includes the name of any person or persons who is seeking a "public benefit." If the "public benefit" is sought by an entity, rather than an individual person, the information includes the name of every person who is: (a)
trustee, (b) director, (c) partner, (d) officer, or has (e) more than a ten percent interest in the entity. Therefore, if you are seeking a "public benefit" covered by the Oaks Initiative, you must supply that information on the Oaks Initiative Disclosure Form. This information must be updated and supplied every 12 months.
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3.H.b
Packet Pg. 169 Attachment: Montrose Oaks form 2021 (4517 : Award Contract for Management of the Landfill Gas Management System)
3.H.b
Packet Pg. 170 Attachment: Montrose Oaks form 2021 (4517 : Award Contract for Management of the Landfill Gas Management System)
1
Vernice Hankins
From:PNA90404 <pna90404@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, July 27, 2021 1:26 PM
To:councilmtgitems; Clerk Mailbox
Subject:Re: Agenda item 3-H
EXTERNAL
Public Safety
On Tue, Jul 27, 2021 at 1:22 PM PNA90404 <pna90404@gmail.com> wrote:
Dear mayor and council Agenda item 3‐H Award RFP #289 to Montrose Environmental for the operation, maintenance, and
monitoring of the landfill gas extraction system currently at the City’s Municipal Yard for the Public Works Department.
Please note the landfill map shows 8 test wells in Mountain View Mobile Home Park that are not tested.
In 2010 MVMHP residents forced the City Housing dept to install 5 new test wells in the park to replace wells that had been
damaged/destroyed by the Mobile Home Park Improvement Project, these new well have never been tested to monitor the
migration of landfill gases.
Montrose readings show high readings at perimeter test wells next to the mobile home park (see attached readings chart).
It would behove the City of Santa Monica to have the test wells inside the mobile home park tested for Public Safety.
Sincerely: Cris McLeod PNA Chair/ MMHP Secretary? GSNOL Secretary local chapter.
Readings are March 2021.
CH4+ Methane gas: any readings above 3% inside and 5 % outside is dangerous to Human life
Hs2 = Hydrogen Cyanide: extremely dangerous to all life forms from bacteria to human beings
Item 3.H 07/27/21
1 of 1 Item 3.H 07/27/21
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Packet Pg. 171 Attachment: Written Comments (4517 : Award Contract for Management of the Landfill Gas Management System)