DATE: August 9, 2016
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Selection of Solid Waste Planning Consultant
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Agreement with Abbe & Associates, LLC to assist Department staff in evaluating current and future solid waste programs consistent with applicable State statutes and County policies for the development and preparation of a strategic and comprehensive solid waste management plan, and execution of related tasks as outlined in Request for Proposal 918-5467, for a term of up one year with a maximum total cost not to exceed $150,000.
REPORT
The recommended action will authorize the Chairman to execute an agreement with Abbe & Associates LLC to assist Department staff in evaluating current and future solid waste programs and to develop an updated solid waste strategic plan that will ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
The Department of Public Works and Planning has identified two possible alternatives to the recommended actions: 1) postpone acting on the recommended action at this time, or 2) decline to approve the recommended action. If your Board chooses to postpone action on the recommended action and not approve this agreement due to one or more agreement provisions, staff would endeavor to negotiate the requested changes and return to the Board as soon as possible. Declining to approve the recommended action would require that Department staff return to the Board for further direction on alternative options.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There are no Net County Costs associated with the recommended actions. Funding for the recommended actions is budgeted in the FY 2016-17 Public Works and Planning - Resources Org 9015 Adopted Budget and will be funded by the County’s AB 939 1% Service Fee and by the County Solid Waste Management Fee. Staff anticipates that funding from these accounts will be sufficient; however, staff will return to the Board if funding is determined to be insufficient.
DISCUSSION:
On May 18, 2016, the County’s Purchasing Department issued Request for Proposal (RFP) 918-5467 for selection of a Solid Waste Consultant. Four firms submitted a proposal. On May 27, 2016, a selection committee comprised of representatives from the County’s Department of Public Health - Environmental Health and Department of Public Works and Planning - Resources Divisions met with the ISD - Purchasing Division to review and assess all submitted proposals based upon the selection criteria established in the RFP. The selection committee provided the recommendation that the consulting agreement be awarded to Abbe & Associates LLC, a firm whose staff has extensive experience in the solid waste industry. Prior to establishing this firm, its principal was involved in development of the County’s and the 15 jurisdictions’ current AB 939 solid waste planning documents and the original Memorandum of Understanding between the County and the 15 incorporated cities, and also assisted the County in developing the County’s current Exclusive Service Area Program (ESAP). Their firm’s prior experience with County documents and programs will ensure a short learning curve and will streamline the development process for updating and amending the County’s documents. The recommended agreement would have a term of one year with a maximum total cost not to exceed $150,000. The anticipated total maximum cost of $150,000 for the agreement would be funded from the Solid Waste Surcharge and the AB 939 1% Service Fee.
The Department recommends that the Board authorize and approve the agreement with Abbe & Associates LLC to assist staff in developing a strategic and comprehensive solid waste management strategic plan, based upon the consultant’s specialized industry-wide expertise and experience as well as an objective assessment of the unique needs and key issues identified by local stakeholders. Among the most pressing of these issues are both short and long-term plans for the County’s solid waste programs related to the administration and management of the various waste streams within the County. The consultant’s scope of work includes the development of updated plans, which address new approaches for funding to remedy an erosion of the current funding base due to successful diversion programs and to accommodate increased regulatory demands, which require increased programs, resources, and staffing. In addition, the consultant will be asked to consider and incorporate suggestions to address the changing and increasingly complex nature of the solid waste industry, in terms of the growth of specialized facilities and haulers, rapid growth of new technologies, the importance of jurisdictional oversight of local contracts, Joint Powers Agreements, Memoranda of Understanding, regional solid waste programs, and inter-jurisdictional and inter-County sharing of disposal data. With the focused and detailed assistance of the recommended consultant, the County will be better able to design an innovative and comprehensive solid waste infrastructure of ordinances, policies, and procedures to address the current hurdles faced by the County and to proactively plan for future challenges.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI # 19, June 30, 1992
BAI # 6, November 15, 1994
BAI #17, April 16, 1996
BAI # 14, August 30, 2005
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On File with Clerk - Agreement with Abbe & Associates LLC
CAO ANALYST:
John Hays