Graham Hill Water Treatment Plant Facility Improvements Project –Environmental Services during Construction

The City of Santa Cruz Water Department (SCWD) is soliciting Statements of Qualifications (SoQs) from consultants, individuals or firms (Consultant) who provide specialized Environmental Services for Construction to support the Graham Hill Water Treatment Plant (GHWTP) Facility Improvements Project (FIP) (Project). The purpose of this pre-qualification is to short-list firms that can provide environmental compliance and construction monitoring for the GHWTP FIP – a $100 million+ construction value, progressive design-build project on an active water treatment plant – including project management, worker environmental training, and specialized biological, arborist, cultural, and paleontological resource oversight. Sought qualifications include a multi-disciplinary team of qualified biologists, qualified monitors, ISA Certified Arborists, archaeologists, and paleontologists.

SCWD is using this RFQ to pre-qualify three to four Environmental Consultants for a subsequent "Construction Management and Environmental Services for Construction" Request for Proposals (RFP). Only Consultants pre-qualified under this RFQ, in partnership with pre-qualified Construction Management firms, will be eligible to submit proposals on the upcoming integrated RFP. The SCWD’s ultimate intent is to enter into a single contract for Construction Management and Environmental Services During Construction. The two-step solicitation process involves the following:

· Step 1 (Pre-Qualification): This RFQ pre-qualifies firms for Environmental Services During Construction. A separate RFQ process is being conducted to pre-qualify firms for Construction Management (CM) Services.

· Step 2 (RFP): Following SoQ evaluation, an RFP will be issued for "Construction Management and Environmental Services During Construction" under a single contract. Only short-listed Environmental firms and short-listed CM firms from Step 1 are eligible for Step 2. These firms must partner to submit a joint proposal for the upcoming RFP.

A detailed outline of potential services that will be performed by the Consultant under the Environmental Scope is given in Section 4 Preliminary Scope of Services.

The purpose of soliciting Environmental Services During Construction is to augment City staff implementing this project. The ultimate contract will include at least two Service Orders as described in Section 4. Although the schedule for the project is not finalized, it is anticipated that construction would start the first quarter of 2027 for a 4-year duration.

The Proposer shall furnish all tools, equipment, materials, tax, apparatus, facilities, labor, transportation, supervision, and management, not specifically provided by the City, to complete work described in this RFQ.

For more information about SCWD’S current and upcoming CIP projects, please visit SCWD’s website: https://www.santacruzca.gov/Government/City-Departments/Water-Department/Capital-Investment-Program .

The SCWD is a public agency operating a water system which provides safe, high-quality water service for about 100,000 people. The Graham Hill Water Treatment Plant (GHWTP) is a critical component of the City’s water supply system as its only treatment facility capable of treating surface water. It was originally constructed in 1960 and standards and regulations enacted over the intervening 66 years necessitate the Project. The GHWTP is a conventional treatment plant treating raw water from the San Lorenzo River, north coast streams and Loch Lomond Reservoir. The Water Treatment Plant must remain fully operational throughout construction.

The Project will be constructed at the existing GHWTP, a secured and fenced facility closed to the public, located at 715 Graham Hill Road in Santa Cruz, CA. The 12.4-acre parcel is within City limits; however, it is non-contiguous to the City and hence constitutes an “island annexation” surrounded by parcels in the unincorporated County. The GHWTP parcel is located in the upper portion of a large west-facing slope adjacent to the San Lorenzo River. The majority of the existing and proposed building areas on the GHWTP parcel are situated on an upper building pad, surrounded by undeveloped portions of the parcel. Single-family residential land uses surround the GHWTP parcel on the northern, eastern, and southern perimeters. Dense tree canopy and vegetation, and scattered residential dwellings are located beyond the western perimeter on a hillside that slopes down to the San Lorenzo River, approximately 0.3 miles to the west of the Project. The Project may also utilize a temporary construction staging area located at 1941 Ocean Street Extension in Santa Cruz, CA and services under this RFQ/RFP process may be required at both the primary construction site and offsite staging.

The Project will replace and substantially upgrade the majority of the existing water treatment processes and associated infrastructure with modern facilities. The Project will increase the City’s treatment reliability to meet current and anticipated future water quality requirements; support the treatment of wet season water to facilitate implementation of the City’s Water Supply Augmentation Strategy and Securing Our Water Future Policy; improve the ability to treat variable and degraded source water quality conditions, such as those associated with post-wildfire, severe storms, and droughts; and meet current seismic, building, electrical, and fire code requirements.