Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Carolyn Bloede, Director, Office of Sustainability
Subject: Amendment 5 to Agreement with Integral Consulting, Inc. for additional services related to the South Coast Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan Project
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing Amendment 5 to the agreement with Integral Consulting, Inc. for additional services related to the South Coast Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan project, extending the term by an additional nine months from March 31, 2022 to December 31, 2022 and increasing the amount by $10,000 for a new not to exceed amount of $235,000.
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BACKGROUND:
The South Coast of San Mateo County is known for its natural assets, its ocean views, farms and other working lands, redwood forests, State Route 1, and extensive parks and open space. Because of these assets and limited urban development, the South Coast is the most rural zone in the greater Bay Area. A large portion of the coast is protected by open space held by public agencies or land trusts. Small towns, such as Pescadero, with historic and rural coastal character are dotted in between ranches and open space. However, sea level rise is expected to affect the people, property, economy, infrastructure, and ecosystems of the south coast of San Mateo County.
In 2015, the County launched Sea Change SMC which is a County program addressing the issue of sea level rise. In 2018, Sea Change SMC released a Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment for the entire Bayshore and the North Coast of San Mateo County from Half Moon Bay north to the county line. However, at that time, certain sea level rise data were not available for the South Coast (from the southern city boundary of Half Moon Bay south to the county line) so this region was excluded from the 2018 analysis. Upon sea level rise data for the South Coast becoming available, the Office of Sustainability (OOS) began development of a separate South Coast Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan (Plan) in 2019 through an Agreement with Revell Coastal signed March 12, 2019 (Resolution No. 19204). Revell Coastal merged with Integral Consulting, Inc. in 2019. To date, Integral Consulting, Inc. has collected and analyzed hazard and asset data, supported stakeholder outreach, and developed a draft report.
On June 13, 2019 the parties executed an amendment to add $25,000 to the contract to perform a sea level rise vulnerability assessment for the intertidal resources along the San Mateo County Pacific Coast from Pescadero Creek to Bean Hollow, of which the State granted the County stewardship through Senate Bill No.1893 to meet requirements of Assembly Bill No. 691, a state law that directs local trustees of public trust lands to conduct an assessment of sea level rise impacts. On June 15, 2020 the parties amended the agreement to extend the contract end date due to COVID-19 related delays, from June 30, 2020 to December 31, 2021.
On July 7, 2021 the parties amended the agreement to update outreach activities given the COVID-19 pandemic, reduce the number of sector profiles completed, and to move funds between tasks to address costs of newly identified and needed dune modeling.
On December 13, 2021, the parties amended the agreement to extend the contract end date from December 31, 2021 to March 31, 2022 to complete the written report, delayed by a lack of necessary data.
DISCUSSION:
OOS is recommending that the contract be extended nine months due to project delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and delay of data provision necessary for the report. Though the report is nearing completion, OOS has recently identified a need for technical services for its public engagement phase, for which it requires Integral’s services. OOS is recommending $10,000 be added to the existing contract to support the project team in communicating scientific and technical information to the public, carrying out thorough and meaningful community engagement, incorporating community and stakeholder input into the final report, and ensuring successful completion of this project.
Completion of the Plan is underway and the County is now designing its bilingual public engagement and outreach approach to communicate the results of the Plan to residents and workers of the South Coast region. Additionally, the County will actively engage the community for input on preferred adaptation approaches which will guide the County’s implementation work moving forward.
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the amendment and resolution as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This amendment extends the term of the agreement to December 31, 2022 and increases the contract amount by $10,000 for a new not to exceed total of $235,000. The funds for the February 8, 2022 through June 30, 2022 portion of this agreement are included in the OOS FY 2021-22 Adopted Budget. The funds for the July 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022 portion of the agreement are expected to be included in the FY 2022-2023 Recommended Budget. There is no new Net County Cost associated with this change.