TO: Napa County Climate Action Committee
FROM: David Morrison, Director of Special Projects
REPORT BY: David Morrison, Director of Special Projects
SUBJECT: Review of Staff Recommendation of Consultant to Prepare the Regional Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
RECOMMENDATION
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DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM: The Director of Special Projects requests that the Climate Action Committee (CAC) affirm the recommendation by staff to the Napa County Board of Supervisors regarding the selection of Ascent Environmental to prepare the Regional Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (RCAAP).
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Climate Action Committee (CAC) has been awarded a $500,000 grant, prepared a regional greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory, and participated in a discussion of climate change at the Napa County League of Governments (NCLOG). With the inventory, the CAC has a basis for understanding the current levels of emissions, as well as estimates for future emissions through 2030. Many of the strategies and measures that will need to be implemented to reduce GHG emissions will require effective inter-governmental coordination. The implementation of actions will be more effective and more efficient if carried out consistently among the CAC members. The next step is to contract with a consultant to develop a Regional Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (RCAAP) to set goals, timelines, and measurable actions to be taken by the six member jurisdictions to reduce future GHG emissions and to develop resilience strategies to effectively respond to climate change events.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California
Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
At the October 6, 2022, meeting of the Napa County League of Governments (NCLOG), which includes representatives from all six jurisdictions, there was general support for proceeding with a Regional Climate Action and Adaptation Plan to provide a policy and implementation framework for reducing GHG emissions. There was also general agreement that each jurisdiction should consider the proposal for a Regional Climate Action and Adaptation Plan at a future Council/Board meeting, to guide Climate Action Committee (CAC)
representatives as they move forward. The subject of a Regional Climate Action and Adaptation Plan was considered at the following jurisdictions:
• American Canyon Open Space, Active Transportation, and Sustainability Committee - December 7, 2022
• Calistoga City Council - January 17, 2023
• St. Helena City Council - January 24, 2023
• Napa County Board of Supervisors - February 7, 2023
• Yountville Town Council - February 9, 2023
• Napa City Council on March 7, 2023.
As a result of these meetings, all six jurisdictions supported the preparation of a Regional Climate Action Plan. At their May 16, 2023, meeting, the County Board of Supervisors directed staff to begin work on preparing a Request for Proposals (RFP). At their May 26, 2023, meeting, the CAC made the preparation of the RCAAP its top priority for the 2023-2024 Fiscal Year.
Over the next three months, County staff worked with staff from the cities/town, the Napa Valley Transportation Authority, and the Napa County Resource Conservation District to prepare a RFP. The draft RFP was approved by the Board of Supervisors on September 12, 2023. The RFP for the RCAAP includes the following requirements:
a. Introduction to climate change science, the relationship between local activities and greenhouse gas emissions, the purpose of climate action and adaptation plans and a summary of the applicable regulatory frameworks.
b. Overview of the emissions and carbon sequestration potential within each sector and jurisdiction identified in the updated 2019 regional GHG Inventory.
c. Estimates of future GHG emissions by sector and jurisdiction for each of the following years: 2030, 2035, and 2045. Separate estimates shall be provided for a Business as Usual (BAU) forecast; GHG emissions assuming state mandates; and GHG emissions assuming implementation of the RCAAP.
d. Prioritized GHG reduction action measures, including an analysis to aid the stakeholders and jurisdictions in evaluating the feasibility and prioritizing each measure, based on effectiveness, cost, equity, feasibility, and secondary benefits.
e. Assessment of risk(s) that each jurisdiction faces due to the impact of climate change and prioritized climate adaptation strategies to achieve resilience within each jurisdiction. The assessment shall include an analysis to aid the stakeholders and jurisdictions in evaluating the feasibility and prioritizing each measure, based on effectiveness, cost, equity, feasibility, and secondary benefits.
f. Implementation plan and monitoring program that meets the BAAQMD and CEQA guidelines requirements for a Qualified Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.
g. Create a web-based dashboard tracking tool that allows the public to monitor jurisdictions’ progress towards GHG reduction goals over time.
h. Public outreach including at a minimum: four community outreach meetings for the public; social media and community engagement strategy; online platform to inform, update, and receive feedback from the public; two presentations to the Climate Action Committee; and six presentations for decision making bodies for final adoption.
i. Coordination with the five cities and town, the Napa County Resource Conservation District, and the Napa Valley Transportation Authority.
j. A document to ensure that both the RCAAP and future projects implemented as a result of the RCAAP are compliant with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Napa County’s Local Procedures for Implementing the CEQA (2020), and BAAQMD’s CEQA Guidelines.
Following approval by the Board of Supervisors, a RFP for a consultant to prepare the RCAAP was released on September 15, 2023. The submittal period ended on October 27, 2023. Two firms submitted proposals to the County prior to the deadline: Ascent Environmental and Blue Strike Environmental. Proposals were reviewed and both firms were interviewed by a panel consisting of County and City of Napa staff on November 16, 2023. Submittals must be evaluated based on the criteria as defined in the RFP as follows:
• Project Approach: 25 points. Provide a detailed description of the offered services and approach to the Scope of Work. Attention to each of the sections and details provided in Attachment A - Scope of Work shall be considered within your response.
• Understanding of Project and Local Issues: 20 points. Describe your firm’s knowledge of what the RCAAP is intended to accomplish for the Napa County region and member jurisdictions. Discuss the relationship of the RCAAP to implementation by individual member jurisdictions, as well as coordination by the member jurisdictions as a whole. In addition, Napa County has unique constraints and opportunities compared to many other jurisdictions and regions. Demonstrate your firm’s insights into local social, environmental, and economic dynamics, and how they may create challenges and/or complement the climate action planning process.
• Experience and Success on Similar Projects: 20 points. Any current or past contracts with government agencies and/or other organizations in preparing Climate Action Plans and CEQA documents shall be listed and described in this section. Descriptions of working on regional and/or multi-organizational climate action planning is strongly preferred. Include updates on the current status of the climate action plans you’ve prepared; are they being implemented, are they effective? Discuss strategies, policies, actions, and approaches that have been successful in your firm’s past experience(s) and how they would be incorporated into the process for Napa County.
• Qualifications of Personnel: 20 points. Describe the background, experience, qualifications, technical capabilities, and expertise of personnel who will be providing climate action plan and CEQA document services. Experience and qualifications of key field personnel should be included. Licensing and certification shall also be described in this section. Designate a project manager who will be the primary point of contract throughout the term of the contract, as well as an organization chart of the personnel involved in the Proposal.
• Project Schedule: 10 points. Provide a workplan showing milestones and dates/weeks in which they would be completed, in terms of accomplishing the goal of having the RCAAP adopted and the CEQA document certified by the end of 2024.
• Cost: 5 points. Provide a detailed budget showing the milestones provided in the Project Schedule in (5) above, with the amount of time and cost for each personnel member involved in that milestone. Overall totals of hours and cost per each person working on the Proposal shall be provided, as well as total project costs. Provide and detail any administrative, incidental, or other costs.
While both firms are well qualified, staff unanimously recommends Ascent Environmental as the preferred consultant. All panelists scored Ascent as equal to or exceeding Blue Strike in each category, particularly in the areas of Understanding Local Issues and Experience on Similar Projects.
Ascent Environmental submitted a total bid of $643,500. The earmark received through Senator Dodd was for $500,000, with the six jurisdictions picking up any costs over that amount. Staff is currently working with Ascent Environmental to reduce their proposal by approximately $50,000. In addition, as a part of their proposal, Ascent Environmental will be evaluating the options that the jurisdictions have under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for adoption of the RCAAP. If an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is required, Ascent and staff estimate that there would be an additional $250,000 to $400,000 in costs.
Staff anticipates that the recommendation will be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for approval of a contract with the preferred consultant on December 19, 2023. Work would begin on the RCAAP in January of 2024.