Supervisors approve consultant agreement

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved a consultant agreement for burnsite and landfill engineering services.

The 5-0 vote February 9 authorizes an agreement with GeoSyntec Consultants, Inc., to provide services on an as-needed basis for an amount up to $500,000. The contract will expire on February 9, 2009, although the agreement will terminate earlier if funds are exhausted or services are no longer required and the termination date can be extended by written mutual agreement if any of the funding is still available.

The County of San Diego is responsible for monitoring its inactive landfills and burnsites. The tasks include preparation of closure and post-closure maintenance plans and construction plans, specifications, and cost estimates for landfill maintenance projects. Periodic waste characterization studies are needed to determine the presence of materials such as lead and other metals of concern which could pose a health risk under various exposure conditions, and the subsurface extent and composition of the site must also be studied. Waste characterization studies include the development of investigation strategies, site reconnaissance of surface conditions, and test sampling to determine the composition of surface soils. In the case of burnsites, the subsurface extent and the composition of the site must be analyzed.

The county sought a consultant with the technical expertise in that type of testing and evaluation and solicited statements of qualification. Seven qualified firms responded, and after a review of the submittals three firms were interviewed and ranked by a selection committee. GeoSyntec was ranked as the highest among the firms interviewed.

Project assignments will be negotiated and authorized by task orders. After a negotiation committee determines mutually agreeable billing rates for the first year, the director of the county’s Department of Public Works is authorized to adjust billing rates to a fair and reasonable rate on an annual basis.

Potential consultant activities include developing an investigation strategy through discussions with county personnel, conducting site reconnaissance of surface conditions, reviewing available historical data of burnsites, preparing workplans to conduct waste characterization studies for submittal to the Regional Water Quality Control Board and the local enforcement agency, conducting soil sampling and laboratory analyses at burnsites, preparing reports of testing and evaluations, evaluating potential risks to human health and the environment from burnsites, conducting engineering feasibility studies of remedial options for burnsites, and attending meetings with county staff, regulatory agency personnel, and property owners.

After tests are completed and analyzed and the results are evaluated, GeoSyntec will make recommendations to the county for appropriate remedial actions.