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HomeMy WebLinkAbout13 Pipeline CEQA Award - Board - RevisedAM TRUCKEE DONNERAGENDA Public Utility District MEETING DATE: October 6, 2021 TO: Board of Directors FROM: Neil Kaufman, Water System Engineer SUBJECT: Consideration of a Contract to Perform CEQA Review and Permitting Assistance for the Pioneer Trail Pipeline APPROVED BY RECOMMENDATION: Z!�r7z_ Ll"71-1- �/_ Brian C. Wright, General Manager Authorize the General Manager to execute a contract with Helix Environmental Consulting to perform the CEQA Review and Permitting Assistance for the Pioneer Trail Pipeline in an amount not to exceed $59,300. BACKGROUND: The Tahoe Donner subdivision consists of approximately 5,600 single family homes, about 400 multi -family residential units, a golf course, downhill ski area, cross-country ski area and other amenities. This represents about 44% of the District's potable water system customers. An additional 500 residential units are expected in the Tahoe Donner area at buildout conditions. The entire subdivision is served by a single 14" welded steel pipeline with two pump stations and two storage tanks that essentially serve as forebays. These facilities were constructed in the early 1970s and are approaching the end of their useful life. The District previously identified the need to construct a second pipeline into Tahoe Donner and this project was discussed in the current Water System Master Plan. The master plan identified the need for a 20" pipeline, but more recent estimates of buildout water demand have determined that the pipeline can be downsized to 16" diameter. On the eastern end of the project, the new pipeline will connect to an existing 24" pipe near Pioneer Trail and Comstock Drive. The western end of the project will connect to an Page 1 of 4 existing 16" pipe at the intersection of Northwoods Boulevard and Lamplighter Way. It is currently planned to install electrical and communications conduits in a joint trench with the water pipeline to accommodate future District owned fiber and electric utility development. Southwest Gas (SWG) has also expressed an interest in installing a natural gas pipe along this same route and the Water Department will continue to work with SWG towards a joint project. A new pump station will be needed to lift water into the Tahoe Donner area. The planned location for the pump station is on District -owned property in close proximity to the TNT Materials concrete batch plant and the District's 6170 Water Storage Tank facility. It is planned to break the project into two separate construction contracts — one covering the pump station and the other covering the pipeline/conduit joint trench. In November 2020, the District awarded a contract to Water Works Engineers (WWE) to provide design assistance for this pipeline project. The scope of the WWE contract covered two items: • Design the pipeline/conduit crossing of Trout Creek • Perform hydraulic transient analysis of the new pipeline/pump station system In November 2020, it was also noted that additional RFPs would be issued in the future for design of the necessary pump station and for performing the CEQA review of the project. In August 2021, an RFP to select a consultant to perform the CEQA review was issued. Six proposals were received in response to the RFP: • Cardno — Zephyr Cove, Nevada • Dudek —Auburn, CA • Helix Environmental Consulting — Folsom, CA • Inland Ecosystems — Reno, NV • Surf To Snow Environmental Resource Management — San Ramon, CA • Transcon Environmental — San Francisco, CA A staff committee was selected and the proposals were evaluated based on the following criteria: • Proposed scope of work and project methodology (35%) • Experience of the firm with similar CEQA review preparation projects (15%) • Experience of project team with similar CEQA review preparation projects (15%) • The firm's procedures, methodology and quality assurance/quality control (5%) • References (10%) • Cost (20%) Page 2of4 Technical Scoring Firm Overall Rank Helix 1 Inland Ecosystems 2 Dudek 3 Surf To Snow 4 Cardno 5 Transcon 6 The proposed costs were then reviewed. The cost proposals varied significantly and ranged from approximately $39,000 to $108,000. Cost Scoring Firm Rank Dudek 1 Inland Ecosystems 2 Helix 3 Cardno 4 Surf To Snow 5 Transcon 6 Finally, an aggregated ranking (technical capability & cost) of the proposers was developed: Overall Scorina Firm Rank Helix 1 Dudek 2 Inland Ecosystems 3 Cardno 4 Surf To Snow 5 Transcon 6 Therefore, staff's recommendation is that the contract be awarded to Helix. The current schedule for the CEQA review is listed below: • Award of Contract: October 6, 2021 • Field Studies: October 2021 • Completion of Draft Initial Study: December 2021 • Presentation of Draft Initial Study to Board: January 5, 2022 Page 3 of 4 • CEQA Public Hearing February 2, 2022 • End of Public Comment Period: February 9, 2022 • Board Approval of CEQA Initial Study: February 16, 2022 or March 2, 2022 It should be noted that this schedule assumes significant new issues will not be identified during the preparation of the Initial Study. The general area of the pipeline route has been studied previously by the Town of Truckee for the Pioneer Trail roadway extension and the Trout Creek recreation trail. Additional studies related to the Pioneer Trail roadway are currently underway. The planned pipeline route has been selected to avoid sensitive and undisturbed areas where possible and to follow alignments previously disturbed by the existing recreation trail, the existing Tahoe Donner sewer outfall and the existing NV Energy overhead electrical transmission lines. FISCAL IMPACT: The cost proposal from Helix was $53,900. It is recommended that a ten percent change order allowance be established for a total authorization of $59,300. The planned funding source for this work is the Water Capital Reserve Fund. It should also be noted that the District's RFP anticipated that the permitting process for the pipeline will be relatively simple with the project constructed under the statewide General Construction Permit (2009-0009-DWQ). The District will be working with the Lahontan RWQCB to clarify the permit requirements. In the event that additional permits such as a Clean Water Act 401/404 permit or a California Fish and Game Streambed Alteration Permit are required, there will be additional costs that will likely exceed the $59,300 identified above, in which case staff will bring to the Board an item for additional procurement authorization. ATTACHMENTS: None Page 4of4