Agenda - Council - 03/27/2007 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CASE # X AWARD CONTRACT FOR NATURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY By: Chris Anderson, Environmental Coordinator Background: Last October, the Environmental Policy Board (EPB) recommended to City Council that a Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) be completed. Later that same month, City Council authorized Staff to solicit proposals for an NRI. Subsequently, Staff identified the following firms as potential candidates to complete an NRI: Applied Ecological Services (AES), Bonestroo Rosene Anderlik & Associates (Bonestroo), Brauer & Associates, & Critical Connections Ecological Services. A Request for Quotes (RFQ) was sent to each of these firms in February. AES and Bonestroo both expressed an interest in the project and submitted proposals. The total proposed budgets to complete the NRI were $25,175 and $34,646, respectively. Observations: Both proposals include similar work plans, including a "kick -off' meeting with Staff, complete review of existing data, an open house style meeting for the public, field work, updating the MLCCS data (from field work, aerial photography and Wetland Study data), ordinance review, draft report and presentation to the EPB, and final report and presentation to City Council. While similar in work plans, Bonestroo's proposal provided greater detail concerning the outlined tasks as well as the necessary steps to complete each. Both proposals indicate that the final report would be completed and submitted to the City by the end of August, which is important as it will enable the City to utilize this information during the comprehensive plan update that is scheduled for completion in 2008. Staff presented both proposals to the EPB during a special meeting on March 15, 2007. While the Board considered both proposals to be adequate, it was clear that several points stood out in the Bonestroo proposal. First, the Board noted that Bonestroo's proposal was more thorough and detailed and left no uncertainties as far as deliverables. Additionally, the Bonestroo proposal dedicates more time to "on the ground" field work, which the Board believes is a critical component of this project. Finally, and maybe most important to the EPB, awarding the contract to Bonestroo for the NRI would create a synergy between this project and the comprehensive plan update. The EPB believes very strongly that this is an important relationship (the NRI and comp plan update) and that it warrants the additional cost. Funding Source: Staff is recommending that monies from the Landfill Tipping Fee Fund be utilized to complete the Natural Resources Inventory. -83-