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Agenda Item
ASR
Control 25-000516 |
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MEETING
DATE: |
09/09/25 |
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legal entity taking action: |
Board
of Supervisors |
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board of supervisors district(s): |
All
Districts |
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SUBMITTING Agency/Department: |
OC
Public Works (Approved) |
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Department contact person(s): |
Amanda
Carr (714) 955-0601 |
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Christy
Suppes (714) 955-0673 |
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Subject: Approve Renewal of Stormwater
Education and Behavior Change Support Services
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ceo CONCUR |
County Counsel Review |
Clerk of the Board |
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Concur |
Approved
Agreement to Form |
Discussion |
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3
Votes Board Majority |
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Budgeted: Yes |
Current Year
Cost: $321,000 |
Annual Cost: FY 2026-27 $500,000 |
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Staffing Impact: |
No |
# of Positions: |
Sole Source: No |
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Current Fiscal Year Revenue: N/A
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Prior Board Action: 9/13/2022 #19 |
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RECOMMENDED
ACTION(S):
Authorize the County Procurement
Officer or Deputized designee to execute Amendment Number Two to renew the
contract with Action Research for Stormwater Education and Behavior Change
Support Services, effective November 9, 2025, through November 8, 2027, in an
amount not to exceed $1,000,000, for a revised cumulative total amount not to
exceed $2,500,000.
SUMMARY:
Renewal of the contract for
Stormwater Education and Behavior Change Support Services will continue
providing mandated public education and outreach assistance to support water
quality enhancement and regulatory compliance for stormwater facilities.
BACKGROUND
INFORMATION:
The County of Orange (County), Orange
County Flood Control District (District) and the 34 cities of Orange County
(Permittees) are regulated by municipal National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) permits for stormwater quality, which include
requirements for public education and outreach. The County, as the principal
permittee, coordinates the OC Stormwater Program, including the public
education and outreach program termed “H2OC,” on behalf of the Permittees to
achieve and maintain NPDES permit compliance. H2OC is a collaborative effort between
the County, District and Permittees, ensuring consistency of messaging and the
efficient use of resources to accomplish common mandate-driven goals. County
administration and consultant services are funded through a Permittee
cost-sharing agreement. The Permittees represent the largest collective
contributors to the cost-share and approve the budget for H2OC on an
annual basis pursuant to an implementation agreement established in 1990. The
Permittees provide direction to the County as contract administrators for H2OC through
the Stormwater Program’s Public Education Sub-committee, guided by an approved
five-year strategic work plan developed collaboratively by the Permittees and
informed by the expertise of the contractor.
H2OC is designed to meet NPDES permit
requirements, including measurably increasing both public knowledge of urban
runoff pollution issues and behavior change of target communities. Increasing
knowledge and changing targeted behaviors is also an important tool for reducing
pollutant releases to the municipal storm drain system and the environment.
Progress in meeting specified objectives is measured in multiple ways,
including, but not limited to those listed in the table below.
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Objective |
Measurable
Results (reporting mechanism) |
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Distribute educational messages, termed
“impressions” to public and business audiences through a variety of measures,
including the purchase of advertising, provision of program materials and
participation in community events. |
More than 18 million impressions,
annually. |
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Develop website content and use of
social media. |
Website consists of over 60 pages
containing water quality protection information for the public, targeted
audiences and business communities. Social media engagement on Facebook and
Instagram is measured annually with sustained increases in both total reach
and average post engagement. |
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Create effective water pollution themed
educational materials and messaging specifically designed for the general
public and targeted businesses. |
Inventory of 44 educational materials,
several of which are available in Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean and/or
Traditional Chinese to support multi-lingual communities. Additional
translations are in progress and materials are being evaluated for translation
into Arabic and Farsi. |
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Develop and deliver school education
program materials. |
Developed video and online tools that
met state science standards; developed a high school cleanup program that,
since September 2023, has engaged 58 students in removing 4,554 items of
trash from their campuses; and participated in multiple youth outreach events
including the Children’s Water Education Festival which hosts over 5,000
third, fourth and fifth grade students each year. |
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Evaluate overall Stormwater Program
effectiveness in increasing knowledge and awareness. |
Increasing trends for key stormwater
knowledge measured via periodic, robust public awareness surveys taken in
2001, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2022. A subsequent survey is
planned for 2025-26. |
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Identify and analyze target audiences
believed to have the greatest influence on high priority urban runoff
pollution issues with built-in performance measures, termed “Action
Campaigns” - follow Community Based Social Marketing methods to measure
success (evaluation criteria specific to and built into, each campaign). |
1) Overwatering/runoff reduction:
utilized as a method of source control paired with watershed solutions
contributed to a more than an 80 percent reduction in dry weather flow in a
South Orange County watershed. 2) Trash/litter abatement: skate park
pilot implemented in Winter 2022 with 85 percent of youth committing to
throwing their trash away. Efforts resulted in a 57 percent reduction in the
trash accumulation rate of the area immediately adjacent to the pilot
location. 3) Pesticides: developed with expert
guidance on target behaviors from OC Agricultural Commissioner and UC
Cooperative Extension. To date, this campaign has garnered 92 participants
committing to implement ant and spider control strategies that are protective
of water quality. |
On January 6, 2022, OC Public Works issued
a Request for Proposals (RFP) to support Stormwater Education and Behavior
Change Support Services (Services). The RFP was advertised on the County online
bidding system and three proposals were received and evaluated. The Orange
County Preference Policy (OCPP) was applicable and incorporated into the
solicitation; however, no OCPP qualified proposals were submitted.
On September 13, 2022, the Board of
Supervisors (Board) approved Contract MA-080-22010367 (Contract) with Action
Research (Contractor) for Services, effective November 9, 2022, through
November 8, 2025, in an amount not to exceed $1.5 million, with the option to
renew for one additional two-year term. On August 10, 2023, the Deputy
Purchasing Agent administratively approved Amendment Number One to the Contract
to modify Article 15, Cooperative Agreement.
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Previous
Request 11/9/2022 – 11/8/2025 |
Current
Request 11/9/2025 – 11/8/2027 |
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Contractor |
Requested Amount |
Usage as of July 2025 |
Contractor |
Requested Amount |
Anticipated Usage |
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1 |
$1.5 million |
$1,263,161 |
1 |
$1 million |
$1 million |
OC Public Works is procuring these
services in accordance with the 2024 Contract Policy Manual, Section 3.3-107.
OC Public Works is recommending the Board
approve Amendment Number Two to renew the Contract with the Contractor for
Services, effective November 9, 2025, through November 8, 2027, in an amount
not to exceed $1 million, for a revised cumulative total amount not to exceed
$2.5 million.
The Contractor’s performance has been
confirmed as satisfactory. OC Public Works has verified there are no concerns
that must be addressed with respect to Contractor’s ownership/name, litigation
status or conflicts with County interests.
This Contract includes subcontractors. See
Attachment B for information regarding subcontractors and the Contract Summary
Form.
Prior to Contract expiration, OC Public
Works plans to issue a solicitation to continue Services.
Compliance
with CEQA: The
proposed project was previously determined to be categorically exempt from CEQA
pursuant to Section 15322 (Class 22) of the CEQA Guidelines on September 13,
2022, when it was originally approved, because it consists of a contract for
educational or training programs for Services to support water quality
enhancement objectives and regulatory compliance not involving any specific
water quality project.
FINANCIAL
IMPACT:
Appropriations for the Contract are
included in FY 2025-26 Budget for the funds listed below and will be included
in the budgeting process for future years.
Funding for the Services is shared
among the 36 Permittees. The District will provide 10 percent and the remainder
will be divided proportionately among the cities and the County Permittee based
on land area and population. The County share is funded by OC Road, OC
Parks and OC Watersheds funds. The resulting shares are as follows:
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Cities |
75.9% |
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OC Watershed,
Fund 034 |
4.7% |
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OC Road, Fund
115 |
4.7% |
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OC Flood, Fund
400 |
10.0% |
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OC Parks, Fund
405 |
4.7% |
The Contract is contingent upon funding
availability. In the event funding is reduced or terminated, the County may
renegotiate the level of services and/or terminate the Contract without
penalty, as necessary.
STAFFING
IMPACT:
N/A
ATTACHMENT(S):
Attachment
A - Amendment Number Two to Contract MA-080-22010367 with Action Research
Attachment B - Contract Summary Form