Title
Consider recommending that the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of Directors approve Amendment No. 3 to the Agreement for Services with ICF Jones & Stokes, Inc. to include their recent name change to ICF Environmental, extend the term of the agreement for three years to June 30, 2029; and authorize the General Manager to execute Amendment No. 3.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Finance and Administration Committee:
Consider recommending that the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of Directors approve Amendment No. 3 to the Agreement for Services with ICF Jones & Stokes, Inc. to include their recent name change to ICF Environmental, extend the term of the agreement for three years to June 30, 2029; and authorize the General Manager to execute Amendment No. 3.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
In 2018 the Agency entered into an agreement with ICF Jones & Stokes for the development of the Salinas River Operations Habitat Conservation Plan (SROHCP) using a three phased approach. The first phase included the development of the 2019 Salinas River Long-Term Management Plan (LTMP) to document historical and current conditions in the lower Salinas River watershed, identify long-term management goals, and serve as a foundational document for the HCP. The LTMP was completed in 2019 using grant funding from the California Coastal Conservancy.
Beginning in April 2020, the Agency was awarded a series of grants totaling $2.75 M to fund the continued development of the SROHCP. Significant delays in grant funding agreements resulted in a delayed start of work for phase two and the agreement with ICF Jones & Stokes was amended to reflect the changing timeline. Amendment No. 1 was approved in 2021 and included a time extension to June 30, 2023 with no change to the total contract amount.
Amendment No. 2 to the agreement was approved in 2023 to extend the timeline, increase the dollar amount to the current total of $6,409,506 and accommodate minor scope changes. Scope changes in Amendment No. 2 reflected feedback received from the Federal Services, our evolving understanding of project needs based on studies and surveys completed prior, and an estimate of future tasks and costs related to the environmental review of the SROHCP. Amendment No. 2 also anticipated future rounds of grant funding to pay for the third phase of the project.
The Agency has now completed the second administrative draft of the SROHCP which is currently under internal review prior to submission to the Federal Services for their review and comments. The Agency has an active $1M grant application awaiting a funding award to continue this work. If awarded, the grant will provide funding to respond to comments on the second administrative draft and begin environmental review process. Approval of the proposed Amendment No. 3 will allow Agency staff to retain the project team from ICF Environmental while we complete review of the second administrative draft SROHCP and work to secure additional grant funding to complete the project.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Agency staff and the project team from ICF Environmental meet regularly with staff from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to discuss ongoing development of the SROHCP.
FINANCING:
Adoption of Amendment No. 3 does not increase the total agreement amount. Prior funding for this agreement was provided in large part by grant funding from the California Coastal Conservancy, the USFWS, and State of California Proposition 1.
The Agency has dedicated $200,000 from Fund 111 in the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget (pending Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of Supervisors approval) to continue work on the SROHCP. Applicable expenditures may be reimbursed if the Agency’s pending application for USFWS grant funding is approved.
Prepared by: Jason Demers, Senior Water Resources Engineer (831) 755-4860
Approved by: Ara Azhderian, General Manager (831) 755-4860
Attachments:
1. Original Agreement
2. Amendment No. 1
3. Amendment No. 2
4. Amendment No. 3