Award Contract for Review and Monitoring of Wetland Mitigation Areas in the COR  - Please Note:  this item has been removed from the Consent Agenda.

The COR, formerly Ramsey Town Center, is a master planned development that was started in the early 2000's.  The site contained several wetlands that were filled to provide more developable space.  The plans for the project included creating several wetland mitigation areas to off set the loss of wetlands in other parts of the project.  The wetland mitigation process requires monitoring and vegetation management of the mitigated areas for five (5) years, with submittal of a monitoring report each year.  The wetlands are reviewed by a Technical Evaluation Panel at the end of the 5 years to verify the mitigation is functioning as intended.

The mitigation areas were created when the site was mass graded in the mid 2000's.  The City went out for proposals for the monitoring in 2009.  Monitoring and reporting was conducted for 2 years.  The selected consultant had staff changes, loosing the expertise to provide this service.  The City also had staff changes during this time and the need for completing the reporting was forgotten.  The Lower Rum River Watershed Management Organization (LRRWMO), which ultimately approves the completed mitigation project, reminded the City in 2020 that the reporting needs to be completed.  

The wetland mitigation areas are between East Ramsey Parkway North and East Ramsey Parkway South at Peridot Street and at the northeast corner of Bunker Lake Boulevard and Armstrong Boulevard.

Staff identified six (6) consultants that provide this services and requested proposals for completing the reporting and vegetation management for the mitigated wetlands.  We received three (3) responses, one was shortly after the proposal was sent out, indicating their workload did not permit preparation of a proposal at this time. We received two (2) proposals which we have evaluated.  We did not receive a response from the other three (3) consultants.

The received proposals were evaluated on Project Team. Experience, Work Plan and Cost.  Three staff reviewed the proposals and all three judged one proposal to be the best.

The City needs to complete the monitoring and reporting on the mitigated wetlands, otherwise the LRRWMO could require creation of new wetland mitigation areas to replace the current areas that were not completed.

The proposals were received from Houston Engineering and SEH, Inc.  Both firms have experience in this type of work.  The proposal from SEH, Inc. was determined to provide the best value to the City based on the project team, experience and work plan.  Their proposal was also the lowest cost.  Houston Engineering proposed completing the work for $22,500, while SEH, Inc. came in at $10, 500.

Funding for this project will come from the Stormwater Management Fund.

Staff recommends awarding a maximum not to exceed contract to SEH, Inc. for Review and Monitoring of Wetland Areas on the COR for the amount of $10,500.

Award a maximum not to exceed contract to SEH, Inc. for Review and Monitoring of Wetland Areas on the COR for the amount of $10,500.