Memorandum
Date: January 9, 2023
To: The Honorable Jessica Pyska, Chair, Lake County Board of Supervisors
From:
Scott De Leon, Water Resources Director and Angela De Palma-Dow, Invasive Species Program Coordinator
Subject: a) Consideration of Presentation on Proposed Project with SCI Consulting Group; and b) Consideration of Contract Agreement with SCI Consulting Group to conduct a Water Quality outreach study and assessment evaluation in an amount not to exceed $100,000 and Authorize the Water Resources Director to sign the agreement
Executive Summary:
In 2022 the Lake County Watershed Protection District (District) was awarded $140,000 by the Blue Ribbon Committee for the Rehabilitation of Clear Lake (BRC) to conduct an outreach assessment to determine public perception, attitude, and knowledge gaps towards water quality, in order to best improve education, outreach and scientific communication within the communities around Clear Lake. Today’s item requests your Board’s approval of a contract with a consultant to complete the project as well as a short presentation of the projects goals and objectives.
In 2023, the District solicited proposals as part of the procurement of a qualified and experienced consultant to assist in the delivery of this project, which resulted in a single proposal from SCI Consulting Group (SCI). Though only one proposal was received, SCI is very qualified and experienced working with these types of projects, and SCI has a history of conducting work in Lake County with other public agencies. Staff concluded that because SCI is well suited to be working on this outreach effort and they have an excellent past record of performance, there would be no public benefit to re-advertising the project.
SCI will also be leveraging the information gathered from the grant-funded outreach portion of the project to complete an evaluation of a potential benefit funds assessment. This evaluation will gauge the public’s interest in a potential tax assessment to generate funds for the District for much-needed projects. This additional task would be modeled after the successful efforts conducted for the Lake County Vector Control in 2008, and the additional task was supported by the members of the BRC at their September 14th meeting.
Attached for your review are the following documents:
1. Agreement
2. Exhibit A Scope of Services
3. Exhibit B Fiscal Provisions
4. Exhibit C Compliance Provisions
5. Attachment B BRC grant project factsheet
Following the discussion of the project and agreement, District staff and representatives from SCI will present information on the project to provide an opportunity for the Board and Public to engage in any discussion relevant to the outreach survey and benefit funds assessment.
If not budgeted, fill in the blanks below only:
Estimated Cost: ________ Amount Budgeted: $140,000.00 Additional Requested: ________ Future Annual Cost: ________
Purchasing Considerations (check all that apply): ☐ Not applicable
☐ Fully Article X. <https://library.municode.com/ca/lake_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH2AD_ARTXPU_S2-38EXCOBI>- and/or Consultant Selection Policy <http://lcnet.co.lake.ca.us/Assets/Intranet/Policy/Policies+$!26+Procedures+Manual/Ch4_2021v2.pdf>-Compliant (describe process undertaken in “Executive Summary”)
☐ Section 2-38 <https://library.municode.com/ca/lake_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH2AD_ARTXPU_S2-38EXCOBI> Exemption from Competitive Bidding (rationale in “Executive Summary,” attach documentation, as needed)
☐ For Technology Purchases: Vetted and Supported by the Technology Governance Committee <http://lcnet.co.lake.ca.us/Assets/Intranet/Intranet+Forms/Information+Technology/AdvPlan.pdf> (“Yes,” if checked)
☐ Other (Please describe in Executive Summary)
Consistency with Vision 2028 <http://www.lakecountyca.gov/Government/Directory/Administration/Visioning/Vision2028.htm> (check all that apply): ☐ Not applicable
☐ Well-being of Residents ☐ Public Safety ☐ Disaster Prevention, Preparedness, Recovery
☒ Economic Development ☐ Infrastructure ☒ County Workforce
☒ Community Collaboration ☒ Business Process Efficiency ☒ Clear Lake
Recommended Action: Approve the Contract Agreement with SCI Consulting Group to conduct a Water Quality outreach study and assessment evaluation in an amount not to exceed $100,000 and Authorize the Water Resources Director to sign the agreement.