Consideration and Approval of Environmental Professional Services Contract:  Rio de Flag Flood Control Project Environmental Investigation Services.

1. Approve the Professional Services Contract to SCS Engineers of Phoenix, Arizona in an amount not to exceed $188,884, with a contract period of 180 calendar days; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary documents.

• The recommended award of the Professional Services Contract to SCS Engineers will authorize an agreement for environmental investigation and reporting services for the Rio de Flag Flood Control Project (Project).
• SCS Engineers is being procured under the active Arizona State Land Cooperative Purchasing Agreement (contract: ADSPO18-207104; solicitation: ADSPO18-00007994). The City of Flagstaff is eligible to participate in the use of this contract.  
• The scope of this contract is anticipated to be completed by May 2020. 
• Final environmental remediation needs will be determined after this initial site investigation is completed.
• The site investigation area is located on the City of Flagstaff and BNSF Railway (BNSF) property on what is referred to as the Project Lower Reach. This area extends from 116 W. Phoenix Avenue to a point approximately 4,200 linear feet (LF) to the east. Please refer to the attached vicinity map.

The Contract will be funded by the Rio de Flag Flood Control Stormwater Capital Improvements FY 2019-2020 account budget of $3,264,134. Account (206-08-385-3236-0).

Connection to Council Goal, Regional Plan and/or Team Flagstaff Strategic Plan:
Council Goal 2017 – 2019 Transportation and Other Public Infrastructure - Deliver quality community assets and continue to advocate and implement a highly performing multi-modal transportation system.
Council Goal 2017 - 2019 Environmental and Natural Resources - Actively manage and protect all environmental and natural resources.
Regional Plan - Policy WR5 - Manage watersheds and stormwater to address flooding concerns, water quality, environmental protections, and rainwater harvesting.
Team Flagstaff Strategic Plan - Foster a Resilient and Economically Prosperous City: Deliver outstanding services through a healthy environment, resources and infrastructure.

The Rio de Flag Flood Control Project has been presented to City Council for various actions and decisions over the course of the project, including the City of Flagstaff/US Army Corps of Engineers Project Cooperation Agreement (PCA), engineering consultant services agreements, approval of fiscal year budgets, and Project updates.   

1. Approve the Contract as recommended. Approval will allow SCS Engineers to investigate and categorize potential environmental contaminates on the Project site; or
2. Reject the award and provide additional direction to staff. This option would delay the environmental clearance activities. 

The Rio de Flag Flood Control Project has been under development as a cooperative project between the City of Flagstaff and the US Army Corps of Engineers since the early 2000s. The goal of the project is to remove the 100-year floodplain from the center of town, which will reduce flooding impacts in our community and improve citizen's quality of life and safety. The project has undergone extensive design, value engineering, and reporting efforts. Several of the project components have been constructed and are complete, including the Clay Wash Detention Basin, the Thorpe Bridge, and the Butler Tunnel.

The project design is currently going through final completion. One of the items required for the final design is the certification of environmental clearances for all Project property. SCS Engineers will identify and quantify any existing contamination that will need to be removed.

The City of Flagstaff and the US Army Corps of Engineers executed the joint PCA in 2004. One of the primary responsibilities of the PCA is that the City must provide a construction corridor to the Army Corps' contractor that is clear of environmental contamination.

SCS Engineers was hired by the City in April 2019 to develop and submit an environmental work plan to BNSF for site access and approval to conduct environmental investigations on their property. The work plan has been approved and the agencies are working through the final execution of the agreement.

The Contract will be funded by the Rio de Flag Flood Control Project Stormwater Capital Improvement account budget of $3,264,134 for FY 2019-2020. Account #206-08-385-3236-0.

Pending the approval of City of Flagstaff Resolution No. 2019-55, the City will be eligible for participation in the 2019 Brownfield Coalition Assessment Grant, in partnership with the Northern Arizona Council of Governments. The Rio de Flag project will be investigated for eligibility of funding through this grant.

This effort will identify and quantify potential environmental contaminants in the Rio de Flag Project area, which will then be removed from the community. The overall project provides many benefits to the community, including: 

• Reduces the 100-year floodplain associated with the Rio de Flag and the Clay Avenue Wash.
• Removes a considerable portion of the properties adjacent to the Rio de Flag from the floodplain.
• New and improved Flagstaff Urban Trail System along the new Rio de Flag channel north of Route 66.
• Elimination of mandatory flood insurance and restrictive floodplain management regulations.

The Rio de Flag Flood Control Project has been included as a major element of the City’s Capital program and budget since 2004.  The project has also been the subject of numerous Council Work Sessions, Friends of the Rio meetings, Project Public Meetings, Cityscape articles, and Arizona Daily Sun articles.