Submitted By: Public Works
Prepared By: Dustin Burnside, Utilities Manager
Julie Schmidt, Sr. Management Analyst
Subject:
title
CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AWARDING A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT TO ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE INSPECTION SERVICES CORPORATION (ECIS), FOR FATS, OILS, AND GREASE (FOG) PROGRAM AND NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEMS PERMIT (NPDES MS4) INSPECTION SERVICES IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $205,800 FOR A THREE-YEAR TERM, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO APPROVE TWO ONE-YEAR EXTENSIONS, AND FINDING THE PROJECT CATEGORICALLY EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
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Summary:
The City Council is being asked to consider a request to award, and authorize the execution of a three-year Professional Services Agreement with Environmental Compliance Inspection Services Corporation (ECIS), in an amount not to exceed $205,800 with two optional one-year extensions (Attachment 2). This Agreement will provide inspection services and administration of the City’s FOG program for Food Service Establishments (FSE’s) and perform inspections, education, and notifications of violations to comply with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems Permit (NPDES MS4) for the FSE’s that have grease interception devices.
Background:
Under California general waste discharge requirements established by the State Water Resources Control Board, the City is required to have a comprehensive FOG control program. Significant sources of FOG are generated from residential homes, apartments/condos and FSEs, where cooking oil and residual food grease from dishes are improperly disposed of in kitchen drains. FOG that enters the sewer system eventually hardens and coats the inside of sewer pipes. Over time, FOG residues build up in the sewer pipes and begin to restrict flows until build-up completely blocks the normal flow of wastewater. If not properly eliminated at the source or removed through sewer line cleaning, blockage can occur which may result in a sewage spill.
The California Regional Water Quality Control Board has adopted General Waste Discharge Requirements for sewage collection agencies in Orange County and the NPDES MS4 Permit, and the City is required to comply with these requirements. A major component of this program is a comprehensive FOG source control program to reduce the amounts of these substances discharged to the sewer collection system. The City's program includes the legal authority to prohibit FOG discharges to the sewer system and to identify measures to prevent sanitary sewer overflows caused by FOG blockages of the sewers. In addition, FSE’s must comply with stormwater related discharge requirements, such as, review of kitchen mat cleaning, waste disposal and general outside the building operation and maintenance.
Discussion:
A Request for Proposals #UT 2026-02 was posted on Planet Bids, and on June 22, 2026, the City received two proposals ranging in price from $206,340 to $520,100 from Environmental Compliance Inspection Services Corporation (ECIS) and G&G Environmental Compliance, Inc. Based on a review of the proposals, both provided the level of service needed to comply with regulatory requirements; therefore, interviews were conducted with the two consultants ECIS and G&G Environmental Compliance, Inc. When evaluating the proposals, the interview panel considered the following items per City Policy and Procedure 201-2-1: experience of the contractor, special knowledge of the subject matter, ability to perform the services in the time allowed, record of success on similar work, and the ability to participate in discussions and presentations related to the project.
ECIS presented a clear understanding of the scope of work required to meet regulatory requirements along with extensive experience in conducting plan check review and NPDES MS4 inspection and education. In addition, ECIS provided a balance of work effort needed to meet program needs with follow up inspections and their ability to respond to immediate grease interceptor issues to help prevent sanitary sewer overflows at restaurants caused by grease.
Table 1. Bid Summary
|
Company Name |
Company Location |
Original Bid Amount for Three-Year Agreement |
|
ECIS |
Dana Point |
$206,340* |
|
G&G Environmental |
Riverside |
$520,100 |
*Some minor modifications were made to the annual FSE-NPDES/MS4 inspection services contained in the original proposal from ECIS, and the revised total for the three-year agreement is $205,800.
Table 2. Fee Schedule
|
Description |
Annual Cost |
3 Year Cost |
|
Bi-Annual GCDI Inspections |
$ 15,570 |
$ 46,710 |
|
Annual FSE-Grease BMP Inspections |
$ 26,100 |
$ 78,300 |
|
Annual FSE-NPDES/MS4 Inspections |
$ 24,930 |
$ 74,790 |
|
As Needed FOG Plan Reviews (10) |
$ 2,000 |
$ 6,000 |
|
TOTAL |
$ 68,600 |
$205,800 |
Considerations Identified by Staff:
Staff finds that engaging outside professional support is a reasonable and cost-effective approach given the specialized qualifications required and the part-time nature of the services required. Utilizing qualified outside professional services would provide the organization with access to the required certifications and specialized expertise on an as-needed basis. This approach would also provide greater flexibility to obtain the appropriate level of professional support based on workload and service needs, while ensuring that required responsibilities are performed by appropriately qualified professionals.
Council Options:
• Adopt Resolution No. 26-166 (Attachment 1), awarding the contract to Environmental Compliance Inspection Services Corporation (ECIS), and finding the project categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Class 9 of the State CEQA Guidelines (Inspections, 14 CCR section 15309), and authorizing the City Manager to execute the contract in an amount not to exceed $205,800.
• Modify and adopt Resolution No. 26-166 for the inspection services for FOG and MS4 compliance with food service establishments.
• Continue the item and direct staff to provide additional information.
• Deny the adoption of Resolution No. 26-166 to authorize execution of the Professional Services Agreement with ECIS, and provide additional direction to staff.
Environmental Review/Analysis:
This project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Class 9 of the State CEQA guidelines, Section 15309 consisting of activities limited entirely to inspections, to check for performance of an operation, or quality, health, or safety of a project, including related activities such as inspection for possible mislabeling, misrepresentation, or adulteration of products.
Fiscal Impact:
Funding for Fiscal Years 2027 and 2028 of the Agreement is available within the approved budgets as noted in the table below.
|
Account |
Fiscal Year 2027 |
Fiscal Year 2028 |
|
054-473-43690 |
$48,600 |
$48,600 |
|
059-551-43894 |
$20,000 |
$20,000 |
|
TOTAL |
$68,600 |
$68,600 |
Funding for year three of the Agreement will be incorporated into the Fiscal Year 2029 budget through the regular budget process, and funding for any extensions will be included in future budgets as appropriate.
Potential Action(s):
recommendation
If the City Council concurs with the contents of this report, moving this item without modifications would result in adoption of Resolution No. 26-166, which would:
1. Find the Fats, Oils, and Grease Program and the NPDES MS4 inspection services project categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Class 9 (Inspections, 14 CCR 15309) of the State CEQA Guidelines;
2. Award a Professional Services Agreement to Environmental Compliance Inspection Services Corporation for the Fats, Oils, and Grease Program and NPDES MS4 inspection services for a three-year period;
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute a Professional Services Agreement in an amount not to exceed $205,800 for a three-year term; and
4. Authorize the City Manager to approve two additional 1-year extensions.
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Attachments:
1. Resolution No. 26-166
2. Professional Services Agreement with Environmental Compliance Inspection Services Corporation
3. Environmental Compliance Inspection Services Corporation Proposal
4. G&G Environmental Compliance, Inc. Proposal
Notification:
All Bidders.