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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09152009 - C.1RECOMMENDATION(S): APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Public Works Director, or designee, to execute a contract amendment with Condor Country Consulting, effective September 1, 2009, to increase the payment limit by $100,000 to a new payment limit of $600,000 to provide additional environmental assessment services in support of the Vasco Road Safety Improvement project. (Proposition 1B Funds) Project No.: 0662-6R4254 FISCAL IMPACT: There is no impact to the County General Fund. This project is funded by Proposition 1B Funds (100%). BACKGROUND: The Vasco Road Safety Improvement Project (Project) is being implemented by the Contra Costa County Public Works Department (Dept.) as a result of many serious, often fatal, vehicle collisions along Vasco Road, in East Contra Costa County. The project has substantial community backing, as well as strong support from Supervisor Piepho’s office. The Dept. originally entered into a Consulting Services Agreement (Agreement) with Condor Country Consulting (Consultant) APPROVE OTHER RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE Action of Board On: 09/15/2009 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER Clerks Notes: VOTE OF SUPERVISORS AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor Gayle B. Uilkema, District II Supervisor Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor Susan A. Bonilla, District IV Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor Contact: Trina Torres(925) 313-2176 I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: September 15, 2009 David J. Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By: EMY L. SHARP0, Deputy cc: Emma Kuevor, County Administrator, Paulette Denison, Finance, Leigh Chavez, Environmental, Chris Lau, Transportation, Marlon Epps, Environmental, Stephen Ybarra, Auditor Controller C. 1 To:Board of Supervisors From:Julia R. Bueren, Public Works Director/Chief Engineer Date:September 15, 2009 Contra Costa County Subject:Execute a contract amendment with Condor Country Consulting, for the Vasco Road Safety Improvement project, Brentwood/Byron area. BACKGROUND: (CONT'D) on December 1, 2007, to provide wildlife/biological assessment services for the Project. The Project received Federal funding, which required additional special environmental assessments and studies, pursuant to the NEPA guidelines; subsequently, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors approved Amendment No. 1, to accommodate the funding change, additional special environmental archaeological/cultural-historical assessments and studies, as required by the NEPA guidelines, as well as a project name change (from Vasco Road Movement Study to the Vasco Road Safety Improvement Project). During ongoing environmental assessments, portions of the Project were identified as having paleontological sensitive areas, requiring unforeseen additional assessments. In addition, new areas were added to the Project’s Area of Potential Affect (APE) that required appropriate reconnaissance level field work and reporting with regards to archaeological/cultural and biological/botanical resources. These areas were not addressed in the original scope of services, or in Amendment No. 1. Further, to be compliant with the Caltrans Standard Environmental Reference (SER), subsurface archaeological testing and soil profiling was necessary in areas with young Holocene-aged sedimentary deposits. Finally, the Wildlife Permeability Study required in support of the HCP / NCCP was substantially more rigorous than previously anticipated and required numerous review cycles, production of many unanticipated maps, engineering drawing details, and significant coordination with Dept. Environmental staff and consulting engineers. Amendment No. 2 is needed to increase the current contract amount to accommodate additional unforeseen work, which includes paleontological/geo-archaeological assessments and additional wildlife/biological assessment work. The Dept. has determined that the Consultant is qualified to conduct the additional necessary work, in order to complete environmental analysis. CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION: Without board approval, additional environmental assessments will not be completed in a timely manner, therefore the necessary National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservation / Natural Community Conservation Plan (HCP/NCCP) clearances will not be obtained; which may delay the design and construction of the project; and may jeopardize funding. ATTACHMENTS :\ENG Services\BO Amendment with Condor Country Consulting.pdf