Title
a. Approve Amendment No. 4 to Standard Agreement No. A-14107, with the Resource Conservation District of Monterey County to continue to provide services to address a wide range of fire fuel mitigation issues and objectives, to increase the not to exceed amount by $60,000, for a total amount not to exceed $210,000, with no change to the term of August 28, 2018 to June 30, 2022; and
b. Authorize the Contracts/Purchasing Officer or Contracts/Purchasing Supervisor to execute Amendment No. 4 to Standard Agreement No. A-14107 and future amendments to the Agreement where the amendments do not significantly alter the scope of work or change the approved Agreement amount.
Report
RECOMMENDATIONS:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Approve Amendment No. 4 to Standard Agreement No. A-14107, with the Resource Conservation District of Monterey County to continue to provide services to address a wide range of fire fuel mitigation issues and objectives, to increase the not to exceed amount by $60,000, for a total amount not to exceed $210,000, with no change to the term of August 28, 2018 to June 30, 2022; and
b. Authorize the Contracts/Purchasing Officer or Contracts/Purchasing Supervisor to execute Amendment No. 4 to Standard Agreement No. A-14107 and future amendments to the Agreement where the amendments do not significantly alter the scope of work or change the approved Agreement amount.
SUMMARY:
In 2018 the Housing and Community Development Department (HCD), formerly the Resource Management Agency (RMA), worked with the fire agencies and members of the Fire Safe Council to establish an agreed approach to fire mitigation. The fire agencies and the Fire Safe Council partners agreed to secure these services through an independent third party, i.e. a non-governmental agency such as the Resource Conservation District of Monterey County (RCD), and in turn, RCD expressed willingness to contract with the County of Monterey (County) to provide fire fuel mitigation services. RCD would provide services that include identifying grants and other funding mechanisms to ultimately pay for continued services, as well as fire prevention/protection project implementation. On July 17, 2018, staff presented to the Board on fire fuel mitigation services in response to wildfire concerns and recommended establishing a Standard Agreement (SA) with RCD.
DISCUSSION:
On July 17, 2018, the Board received a report and adopted staff’s recommendation to establish a new SA with RCD to address a wide range of fire fuel mitigation issues and objectives. Due to their unique expertise in fire fuel mitigation, staff completed a Sole Source Justification (SSJ) to contract with RCD and the SSJ was approved by the Contract’s Purchasing Officer on August 9, 2018. On August 28, 2018, the Board approved the SA with RCD for a total amount not to exceed $150,000, with a term beginning August 28, 2018 to June 30, 2019.
RCD was selected for their experience working with agencies and community beneficiaries of the fire fuel mitigation program, to facilitate timely, cost effective services. RCD has a unique combination of technical expertise, services, and existing trusted relationships with funding partners. RCD has access to and the ability to leverage resources and funds to help sustain the fire fuel mitigation program for the County and the community into the future. The suite of attributes and services RCD provides facilitates bringing public and private partners together to plan and execute critical fire fuel mitigation services. With much of the County at high risk for wildfire, an efficient, coordinated effort by RCD, the County, fire agencies, and private landowners is necessary.
Through the SA, RCD provides staff and services to address a wide range of fire fuel mitigation issues and objectives. Some of the tasks performed by RCD include the coordination with the County Fire Safe community, fire fuel reduction project facilitation, grant writing and fund raising to enhance fire prevention, among other tasks. The intent behind establishing the SA with RCD was to fund services to establish a program through RCD for fire fuel mitigation with the expectation of identifying grants and other funding mechanisms to ultimately pay for continued services and project implementation. To date, RCD, using the County funding as leverage, has been awarded more than $5,420,000 in grant funds. These include: $190,000 in USDA Forestry Assistance funds, $97,217 in CA Dept of Conservation Forest Health funds, $198,670 in CA State Coastal Conservancy Forest Health funding, a $4.82 million CALFIRE Fire Prevention grant for implementing the Los Padres Strategic Community Fuelbreak, and $227,591 (split with CSUMB as grant lead) in CALFIRE Fire Prevention funds to support critical local mapping, project coordination, and education for forest fire fuel management in Monterey County. With this funding, RCD was also able to guide the successful application of the local USDA Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service for a $2.57 million Joint Chiefs Landscape Restoration Partnership grant.
The County has a continued need for the services under this SA. Indeed, the County has amended the SA three times to allow for additional time and to seek additional funding. Amendment No. 1 updated the Contractor’s billable rates and extended the term of the SA for an additional year through June 30, 2020. Amendment No. 2 extended the term on the SA for an additional year through June 30, 2021 and Amendment No. 3 extended the term for an additional year through June 30, 2022 to allow the County to seek additional funds for the services under the SA.
As part of the FY 2021-22 budget process, staff submitted a $60,000 Augmentation Request to the Budget Office and Board to fund the services under the SA with RCD. The Augmentation Request was approved and adopted in the FY 2021-22 HCD Budget. The approved $60,000 will fund Amendment No. 4 and will allow RCD to continue providing fire fuel mitigation services and to continue strategizing a sustainable fire fuel mitigation program. Amendment No. 4 will increase the amount of the SA by $60,000 for a total not to exceed $210,000 and will update RCD’s budget and rate sheet.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Office of the County Counsel and Auditor-Controller’s Office have reviewed and approved the Amendment No. 4 to the SA as to form and fiscal provisions, respectively.
FINANCING:
Funding for this amendment is included in the FY 2021-22 Adopted Budget for Housing and Community Development, Fund 001, Appropriation Unit HCD002, Unit 8543 as an Augmentation in the amount of $60,000.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
The County is prone to significant wildland fires and their associated significant costs. Fire prevention can help reduce impacts to the environment and save lives and property. Major fires also impact the economy since they often occur during the height of the tourist season and comes with great costs to protect/repair Public infrastructure. The recommended action supports the Board’s Strategic Initiatives as indicated below:
X Economic Development
X Administration
X Health & Human Services
X Infrastructure
X Public Safety
Prepared by: Marcela Ramirez, Management Analyst II
Reviewed by: John Dugan, Management Specialist, (831) 759-6654
Reviewed by: Melanie Beretti, HCD Services Manager, (831) 755-5285
Approved by: Erik V. Lundquist, AICP, HCD Director
The following attachments are on file with the Clerk of the Board:
Attachment A - Amendment No. 4 to SA with RCD
Attachment B - Amendment No. 3 to SA with RCD
Attachment C - Amendment No. 2 to SA with RCD
Attachment D - Amendment No. 1 to SA with RCD
Attachment E - SA with RCD
Attachment F - Summary of SA