REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 23, 2020
FROM
BRENDON BIGGS, Interim Chief Flood Control Engineer, Flood Control District
SUBJECT
Title
Agreement with S. Groner Associates to Perform Required Public Education and Outreach Tasks for the San Bernardino County Areawide Stormwater Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of the San Bernardino County Flood Control District, approve agreement with S. Groner Associates, in the amount of $1,400,000, to provide public outreach and educational activities for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Phase I Areawide Stormwater Program for the period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2025.
(Presenter: Brendon Biggs, Interim Chief Flood Control Engineer, 387-7906)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The County of San Bernardino (County) allocates Discretionary General Funding to the San Bernardino County Flood Control District (District) to administer the County’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) MS4 Permit implementation activities. The entire NPDES program is under the District’s budget, which includes the County’s share of costs for this Agreement. Sufficient appropriation and revenue have been included in the District’s 2020-21 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets (1990002550-76F02399).
Under the County’s Program Implementation Agreement approved by the Board of Supervisors (Board) on June 28, 2011 (Item No. 94), expenditures will continue to be jointly funded by the Program, with the costs to be allocated among the County, the District, and the sixteen Co-Permittee cities. The proposed agreement for public outreach and educational activities will cost $1,400,000 over the period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2025. The cost for 2020-21 will be distributed as follows:
|
Funding Entity/Participant |
Budget |
Percentage |
Amount |
|
Program |
1990002550 |
|
|
|
District |
|
5.00 |
$ 14,000 |
|
County |
|
19.06 |
$ 53,368 |
|
Incorporated Cities (16) |
|
75.94 |
$212,632 |
|
|
|
100.00 |
$280,000 |
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
This action aligns with the County and Chief Executive Officer’s goals and objectives by providing the District with experienced consultant staff to assist in the implementation of the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Phase I Permit (Permit) public education and outreach requirements in the most cost-effective manner, utilizing a cooperative cost sharing agreement amongst the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Phase I Areawide Stormwater Program (Program) participants, as described below. Achieving and maintaining compliance with the MS4 Permit will reduce the potential for incurring permit violations and significant fines and penalties, as well as protect the beneficial uses of the Santa Ana River Watershed.
This Agreement allows the District to more effectively achieve and maintain compliance with the MS4 Permit-required public outreach and education activities by providing for the implementation of specific public education and awareness activities. The work described in this Agreement will focus on fulfilling the residential program requirement in the MS4 Permit and conducting campaigns and utilizing tactics to most effectively reach the target audience.
On January 29, 2010, the California Regional Water Quality Control Board - Santa Ana Region (SARWQCB) adopted the NPDES MS4 Permit for urban stormwater discharges from the District, the County of San Bernardino (County), and the sixteen Co-Permittee cities (Permittees): Big Bear Lake, Chino, Chino Hills, Colton, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Highland, Loma Linda, Montclair, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, Rialto, San Bernardino, Upland and Yucaipa. Since 1994, as required by the MS4 Permit, the Permittees have cooperated through the Program to create a public awareness program to minimize impacts from polluting activities to receiving waters and provide guidance on best management practices to prevent stormwater pollution. The MS4 Permit was administratively extended on January 29, 2015; the Permittees continue to implement the requirements of this MS4 Permit until the SARWQCB approves a new MS4 Permit.
Services to be performed under the Agreement include, but are not limited to: preparing outreach materials to educate targeted audiences; strengthening social media outreach efforts; participating in community events to raise awareness and educate specific audiences; maintaining the Program website with links to multiple resource and information locations; and implementing methodologies (i.e. in-person discussion, on-line and telephone surveys) to measure changes in awareness as a result of outreach and education efforts. The results of activities performed in each calendar year will provide guidance on the type, focus and extent of the outreach and educational components implemented in the following year(s).
Examples of focused public outreach activities that may be performed include campaigns regarding proper pet waste disposal; household hazardous waste disposal, and appropriate use of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides; as well as development and implementation of new campaigns and tactics to most effectively reach the target audience. The specific work executed under this category will be administered using annual work plans and/or task orders mutually developed by S. Groner Associates, the District, and the Program.
The District may terminate the Agreement in whole or in part upon 30 calendar days’ written notice to S. Groner Associates. If the Agreement is terminated in this manner, then S. Groner Associates shall receive equitable compensation for services rendered and expenses incurred prior to the effective date of termination.
PROCUREMENT
On February 24, 2020, the District released Request for Proposal (RFP) No. PWG120-LANDD-3714 on the County of San Bernardino Electronic Procurement Network, with the intention of retaining a vendor to provide MS4 Permit-required public education and outreach services. On March 26, 2020, five proposals were received from the following vendors:
|
Vendor |
Location |
|
DeGrave Communications, Inc. |
Murrieta, CA |
|
Global Urban Strategies, Inc. |
Alhambra, CA |
|
McCormick-Busse, Inc. (dba MBI Media) |
Covina, CA |
|
S. Groner Associates |
Long Beach, CA |
|
Westbound Communications, Inc. |
Riverside, CA |
The proposals were evaluated by a selection committee comprised of District, County, and Co-Permittee representatives. The selection committee conducted a thorough evaluation of the proposals and selected S. Groner Associates as the most qualified vendor based on their technical approach to the scope of work and understanding of the needs of the Program. Contract negotiations were conducted to determine a fair and reasonable cost for the scope of services. According to RFP Section VIII.C., Notice of Intent to Award letters were sent out electronically on May 4, 2020. No appeal/protest letters were received. With this Agreement, the District recommends a five-year contract with S. Groner Associates, for the term July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2025, for $1,400,000.
In the event the SARWQCB issues a new MS4 Permit with new public education and outreach requirements beyond the scope and within the term of this Agreement, the District will either choose to amend the Agreement with S. Groner Associates or terminate the Agreement and issue a new RFP.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Sophie A. Akins, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 28, 2020; Purchasing (Jason Cloninger, Lead Buyer, 387-8258) on May 18, 2020; Finance (Jessica Trillo, Administrative Analyst, 387-4222) on June 2, 2020; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on June 8, 2020.