Title
Recommendation to Authorize the Acting City Manager to Execute a One-Year Agreement with Terraphase Engineering in an Amount Not to Exceed $143,900, with the Option of Three One-Year Extensions, for a Total Four-Year Expenditure Not to Exceed $431,700, for Environmental Consulting Services at Alameda Point and for a Transportation Project. (Base Reuse 819099 and Transportation 91820)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Elizabeth D. Warmerdam, Acting City Manager
Re: Recommendation to Authorize the Acting City Manager to Execute a One-Year Agreement with Terraphase Engineering in an Amount Not to Exceed $143,900, with the Option of Three One-Year Extensions, for a Total Four-Year Expenditure Not to Exceed $431,700, for Environmental Consulting Services at Alameda Point and for a Transportation Project
BACKGROUND
Alameda Point was an active United States Navy (Navy) base from 1940 to 1997. While active, as many as 18,000 personnel worked at the Naval Air Station (NAS Alameda). It was selected for closure as part of the 1993 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC). Operational closure occurred in April 1997.
Alameda Point is a federal “Superfund” site due to contamination in the soil and groundwater associated with the Navy’s past use of the property. It is comprised of 300 petroleum sites and 34 federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) installation restoration sites, many of which have been remediated and closed. The Navy is responsible for the clean-up of contamination associated with its former activities at Alameda Point, and has been actively investigating and remediating the property for the last 15+ years, during which time it has spent over $500 million on these efforts.
The City uses a professional environmental consultant to provide services regarding the Navy’s remediation of the former NAS Alameda, conveyance of land from the Navy to the City and new development. The environmental consultant will serve as a strategic advisor and must possess a comprehensive understanding or the history of Alameda Point to interact with the Navy, environmental regulators, the City Council, community and developer, potential investors, and staff on numerous and diverse hazardous material issues. Peter Russell of Russell Resources, who served as the City’s long-time environmental consultant for Alameda Point, retired 2017. The City subsequently entered into a contract with Roux Associates, which expired June 30, 2018. City staff recommends entering into a new agreement with Terraphase Engineering to provide environmental consulting for Alameda Point moving forward. Staff had entered into an initial short-term contract with Terraphase in the amount of $20,000 for a 6-8 week period to become familiar with existing documents, get them up to speed on the current work plan and begin work on time-sensitive projects.
DISCUSSION
Terraphase Engineering (Terraphase) was selected from a list of consultants as a result of a Request for Proposals (RFP) issued on March 27, 2017. Terraphase Engineering was among the two top candidates and was selected based on the company’s relevant past experience, qualifications and experience of key staff, understanding of work scope, cost competitiveness, and ability to meet contract requirements.
Terraphase is a full-service engineering and consulting firm that provides highly effective client-focused solutions for regional and nationwide agencies and private entities. Terraphase is a California-Certified Small Business and a Federal Small Business with expertise in remedial investigations, soil and groundwater remediation, environmental due diligence and regulatory compliance. Terraphase has registered professionals in a variety of science and engineering disciplines and is a California “Class A” General Engineering Contractor; it also possesses a Hazardous Substances Removal Certification. Terraphase Engineering’s Oakland office has deep technical and local knowledge to support Alameda Point.
Vice President/Principal Geologist, Andrew Romolo will serve as the strategic advisor, project manager and primary point of contact for all hazardous materials issues related to Alameda Point, as well as conduct a Phase 2 environmental analysis for the Tilden Way/Clement Avenue transportation project. Mr. Romolo has over 20 years of extensive experience that includes project work prior to, during, and after base transfers at Treasure Island in San Francisco, and Point Molate and Campus Bay Site in Richmond. He has also managed brownfield redevelopment projects in a number of Bay Area communities, including Alameda County, City of Oakland, City of Hayward, as well as for housing agencies, water districts and transportation agencies. He has managed environmental projects as part of complex redevelopment projects for both private developers and cities, and helped clients redevelop contaminated properties.
The scope of services that Mr. Romolo will perform include:
• Attendance at Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Base Cleanup Team meetings;
• Attendance at Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) meetings as an observer;
• Attendance at meetings in furtherance of conveyance between the City of Alameda, the Navy and other stakeholders;
• Attendance at meetings with Environmental Regulators and technical supplemental meetings;
• Review of technical documents, reports, work plans, regulator comments, and preparation of draft City comments;
• Participation in meetings in support of negotiations among City, developers, and other parties related to environmental matters;
• Preparation of Final Site Management Plan for Phase 3C transfer of property;
• Preparation of Phase II Work Plan, Implementation and Reporting for Clement Avenue/Tilden Way Project; and
• Additional consultation as requested and authorized by City staff.
Staff recommends awarding a contract to Terraphase in the amount of $143,900. The contract also permits an annual extension on a year- to-year basis, for up to three (3) additional years and up to $431,700 total compensation for the contract, at the sole discretion of the City Manager, based, at a minimum, upon satisfactory performance of all aspects of this contract and subject to budgetary approval. If extended, the contract would be for the same terms and compensation as the existing contract.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The estimated contract expenses for Alameda Point have been included in the Base Reuse FY 2018-19 Budget approved on June 19, 2018. The $18,000 funding for the transportation-related environmental site assessment is covered under the capital project Budget (91820) in the City’s 2017-19 Capital Improvement Program. The funding for the annual extensions of the contract for up to three years, if approved, will be subject to annual appropriations in the Base Reuse Fund. The initial short term contract in the amount of $20,000 is included in the Base Reuse FY 2018-19 budget. Neither contract will have a financial impact on the General Fund.
POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action will facilitate clean-up and conveyance of land to be redeveloped consistent with the General Plan. The project is consistent with the Transportation Element of the City's General Plan, which states: “It is important that with the upcoming build-out of Alameda Point and other large scale projects, the City work to reduce the impact of automobile trips on the quality of life for residents and on the easy, safe use of non-automotive transportation modes.”
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project that has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the Acting City Manager to execute a one-year agreement with Terraphase Engineering in an amount not to exceed $143,900, with the option of three one-year extensions, for a total four-year expenditure not to exceed $431,700, for environmental consulting services at Alameda Point and for a transportation project.
Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer Ott, Base Reuse and Transportation Planning Department Director
By,
Michelle Giles, Redevelopment Project Manager, Base Reuse
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Elena Adair, Finance Director
Exhibit:
1. Contract