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Agenda Item
ASR
Control 22-000601 |
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MEETING DATE: |
09/13/22 |
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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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Andrew McGuire (714) 955-0655 |
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Subject: Approve Contract for
Stormwater Education and Behavior Change Support Services
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ceo CONCUR |
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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:
$320,255 |
Annual Cost:
FY 2023-24 $500,912 |
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Staffing Impact: |
No |
# of Positions:
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Sole Source:
No |
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Current Fiscal Year Revenue: N/A
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Prior Board Action: 10/5/2021
#9, 9/29/2020 #13, 9/12/2017 #27 |
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RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
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1. |
Find that the Stormwater Education and Behavior Change Support Services is categorically exempt from the CEQA, Class 22 (Educational or Training Programs Involving No Physical Changes) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15322. |
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2. |
Authorize the County Procurement Officer or Deputized designee to execute the contract with Action Research for Stormwater Education and Behavior Change Support Services, effective November 9, 2022, through November 8, 2025, in an amount not to exceed $1,500,000, with the option to renew for one additional two-year term. |
SUMMARY:
Approval of the contract for Stormwater Education and Behavior Change Support Services will provide 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 public education and outreach program (termed “H2OC”) on behalf of the Permittees to achieve and maintain NPDES Permit compliance. H2OC therefore represents a collaborative effort between the County, District and Permittees, ensuring consistency of messaging County-wide and an efficient use of resources to accomplish common mandate-driven goals. County administration and consultant services are funded through a Permittee cost-sharing agreement. The Permitees represent the largest collective contributors to the cost-share and approve funds 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 regulatory 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 an important tool for compliance and 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 the
purchase of advertising |
More than 18 million impressions, annually. |
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Develop webpage content and
use of social media |
Webpage consists of 60 pages containing water quality protection information for the general public, targeted audiences and business community. Social media engagement (Facebook, Instagram): increased posting frequency, “likes” and “shares” measured annually. |
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Create effective water
pollution themed educational materials and messaging specifically designed
for the general public and targeted businesses |
Inventory of 35 brochures and workbooks with select materials available in Spanish, Vietnamese and Korean to support multi-lingual community. Materials are currently being translated into Traditional Chinese. |
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Develop and deliver school
education program materials |
Developed video and online tools that met state science standards; reached up to 5,542 third, fourth and fifth grade students in 2021 through the Children's Water Education Festival. |
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Evaluate overall Stormwater
Program effectiveness in increasing knowledge and awareness |
Increasing trends for key stormwater knowledge (e.g. since 2003, there has been a 13 percent increase in respondents correctly stating that stormwater is not treated before entering Orange County waterways) measured via periodic, robust public awareness surveys (2001, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2022 (in progress)) |
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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. School clean up pilots scheduled for fall Semester 2022. 3) Pesticides: audience research and expert guidance on target behaviors (OC Agricultural Commissioner, UC Cooperative Extension) completed; campaign pilot currently being implemented; associated measures of success to be reported fall 2022. |
A contract and two subsequent renewals for Stormwater Education and Outreach Campaign Services were approved by the Board of Supervisors (Board) on September 12, 2017, September 29, 2020, and October 5, 2021, respectively. The current contract for Stormwater Education and Outreach Campaign Services expires on November 8, 2022. In order to continue services, a new contract is required.
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. Three proposals were received from the following firms: Action Research, Poseidon Education, and S. Groner & Associates. On April 5, 2022, the evaluation panel chose to invite Action Research and S. Groner & Associates for interviews based on their proposal score, significant experience working within multi-jurisdictional local government settings and the demonstrated ability to increase knowledge and change the behavior of target communities. On April 19, 2022, the evaluation panel completed its evaluation and provided its recommendations. Based on the criteria set forth in the RFP, OC Public Works is recommending award of a contract for Services to Action Research (Contractor). A summary of the rankings is attached as a part of the Memorandum of Recommendation (Attachment D).
OC Public Works is procuring
these services in accordance with the 2021 Contract Policy Manual, Section
3.3-102.
The Orange County Preference
Policy (OCPP) was applicable and incorporated into this solicitation; however,
no OCPP qualified proposals were submitted.
OC Public Works is recommending Board approval of Contract MA-080-22010367 (Contract) with the Contractor, 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.
OC Public Works has conducted due diligence on the Contractor. Reference checks were satisfactory and completed with San Diego County, Huron River Watershed Council and Chesapeake Bay Program regarding similar projects/services. OC Public Works has verified there are no concerns that must be addressed with respect to the 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.
Compliance with CEQA: The proposed project is Categorically Exempt (Class 22) from the provisions of CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15322, because it consists of the approval of a contact 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 2022-23 Budget for OC Watersheds, Budget Control 034; OC Road, Fund 115; OC Flood, Fund 400; OC Parks, Fund 405; 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 includes a provision stating the County has the right to immediately terminate this Contract without penalty for cause or after 30 days' written notice without cause.
STAFFING IMPACT:
N/A
ATTACHMENT(S):
Attachment A - Contract MA-080-22010367 with Action
Research
Attachment B - Contract Summary Form
Attachment C - Summary of Evaluators Scoring
Attachment D - Memorandum of Recommendation
Attachment E - Evaluator Scoring Sheets