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Approve six Master Service Agreements to provide as-needed professional technical support services for capital improvement projects for a three-year term starting August 1, 2026; and Delegate authority to the County Administrator or designee to execute the agreements, any subsequent amendments, and Adjusted Service Authorizations, with County Counsel concurrence, within approved project budgets
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Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of General Services recommends that the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve six (6) Master Service Agreements (MSAs) to provide as-needed professional technical support services for capital improvement projects for a three-year term starting August 1, 2026 (Attachment A); and
2. Delegate authority to the County Administrator or designee to execute the agreements, any subsequent amendments, and Adjusted Service Authorizations, with County Counsel concurrence, within approved project budgets.
SUMMARY:
The Department of General Services recommends approval of six (6) MSAs with consulting firms selected through a competitive, qualifications-based process conducted in accordance with the County Contracting and Purchasing Policy. These agreements will provide the County with as-needed environmental consulting services in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act and the National Environmental Policy Act (CEQA/NEPA), hazardous materials testing and inspection, and geotechnical services for approved capital improvement projects over the next three years.
These agreements establish a pool of qualified consultants and do not authorize any project-specific work or expenditure. Individual service authorizations will be issued only as projects are approved and funding becomes available. Using MSAs allows the County to obtain specialized consulting services under pre-negotiated agreements, improving efficiency, reducing administrative effort, and providing timely access to technical expertise.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Approval of the MSAs does not commit the County to any specific amount of work. Services will be authorized individually through Adjusted Service Authorizations (ASAs), and contract values will increase only as work is authorized. Funding for authorized services will come from approved capital improvement project budgets.
The costs associated with preparing this agenda item are nominal and are absorbed within the Department’s FY2026/27 Working Budget.
DISCUSSION:
The County periodically requires specialized consulting services to support capital improvement projects and associated environmental compliance requirements. On June 3, 2026, the Department of General Services issued the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for on-call environmental consulting, hazardous materials testing and inspection, and geotechnical services (Attachment B).
The RFQ was publicly posted on the OpenGov Procurement platform, and direct outreach was conducted to firms that had previously expressed interest in contracting with the County. Approximately 11,254 firms were notified, and the County received 21 Statements of Qualifications (SOQs), as listed in Attachment C.
Services Requested
The requested consulting services support capital improvement projects and include environmental consulting (CEQA/NEPA), hazardous materials testing and inspection, geotechnical engineering, environmental permitting, and other technical services necessary for project planning, design, construction, and regulatory compliance.
Consultant Evaluation Process
A County Evaluation Committee, consisting of staff from the General Services and Resource Management departments, evaluated all 21 SOQs using the published evaluation criteria. Firms were evaluated based on qualifications and experience, project approach, organizational capacity, quality and cost control measures, past performance, and proposed fee schedules. The committee also considered each firm’s ability to provide responsive, scalable support across multiple projects and technical disciplines.
Recommended Firms
Based on the evaluation results, staff recommends awarding MSAs to the following six firms, which demonstrated the qualifications, experience, and capacity to provide as-needed professional technical services for capital improvement projects.
1. EMC Planning Group
2. FCS International, Inc.
3. Geocon Consultants
4. LSA Associates, Inc.
5. PlaceWorks, Inc.
6. Terracon Consultants, Inc.
The recommended firms have experience serving public agencies and possess the technical expertise and resources necessary to assist with a variety of capital improvement projects.
Approval of these MSAs will provide the County with timely access to qualified consultants, improve project delivery, and streamline procurement by allowing services to be authorized on an as-needed basis in accordance with County Purchasing Policy.
The General Services Department has prepared corresponding Master Services Agreements for Board approval.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. The Board could elect to award no, or fewer MSAs. This action is not recommended because the selected firms provide the specialized professional services necessary to support approved capital improvement projects. Without these agreements, the County would need to procure individual consulting contracts for future projects, increasing administrative effort, delaying project delivery, and potentially increasing overall costs.
2. The Board could elect not to delegate authority to the County Administrator or designee to execute the agreements, any subsequent amendments, or ASAs, with County Counsel concurrence, within approved project budgets. This action is not recommended because Board meeting schedules may not align with project timelines. Without delegated authority, execution of time-sensitive documents could be delayed, potentially affecting project delivery and increasing administrative workload.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Department of Resource Management participated in the development of the RFQ, consultant evaluation process, and recommended consultant selection. County Counsel provided legal guidance throughout the solicitation and consultant selection process and has approved the agreements as to form.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION