HomeMy WebLinkAbout0105.094,'-'"
January 6. 1994
THE HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
Palo Alto, California
Attention: Policy and Services Committe~
La.ndfill Leachate Extraction System Eva] uat,i or.. .: Consult.ant
Selection Approyal
Membere of the Ccuncil:
Report in Br.1ef
This report summarizes ~he procedure used to select a consulting
firm to conduct an evaluation of the leachate extraction system
(LES) at the Palo ~to Landfill and recommends one firm with which
staff should negotiate an agreement. This project was among those
for which the Policy and Services Committee indicated it wished to
participate in the consultant selection review during fiscal year
1993-94.
Backgrgund
Under State l..'egulations,
infiltration of water
decomposition processes)
buildup and accum'.llat ion.
leachate ithe fluid generated by the
into a landfill and natural refuse
must be TI1anaged t.c prevent excessive
In 1988. t:he Regional Water Quality Control B':Jard (Board) issued
updated waste discharge requirements for the Palo Alto Landfill~
which in~luded provisicns that. leachate conditions at ttle Pc.lo Alto
Landfill be evaluated and a LES be developed and installed to
mana.ge leachate at the facility. An investigation was conducted
betweeL ]988 and 1990. which included the design and construction
e,f a LES at ~he landfill. The LES consists of 1.9' extraction wells
and associated piping. which pum9S fluid out of the landfill and
transports it to a manhole where leachate is discharged to the
sanitary sewer for treatment at the Regional Water O".lality Control
Plant.
Upon completion of the syatem r a pre~lminar/ evaluation was
inconclusive as to the effects that the LES is having an leachate
conditions at the la.."ldfil1. The City is required to submit a report
to the Beard evaluating leachate conditions at the facility, the
impacts that the LES is having on those conditions and the LES's
ability to provide for effect-ive leachate management.
The project has been divided into three primary tasks:
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1. Evaluation of current leachate conditions
2. Evaluation of LES operation
3. Development. of a]ternc:.tive-leachate management strategies
The third task recognizes the fact that the operation of the LEE
alone may not satisfy the Board' 51 requiremer:ts for :Leachate
management, as the system's abilit~ to withdra~ leachate is
restricted by a number of limitations that exist in landfills.
This task 'ollill de~/elop alternate stratt;'giesl if needed, as pa::-t of
an over-all approach to leach-Cite management. at. the Palo Al~o
Landfill.
Discussion
St:aff began the select.ion process by soliciting interested firms
that appeared capable of conducting the e .. ~al'..lation describ~d aoove.
The firms were identified from the Environmental Cc~trol ?rogram's
consultant f~les~ which contain backgrcund information and
qualifications of consultants 'Who have expl.-cssed interest in
providing services t.o the City. A reqi..lest for proposals waS sent
to eleven firms.
Five of the eleven firms responded by the closing date vf November
16. 1993. The firms that submitted proposals were:
Wahler Associates
Emcon Associat~B
3E Engineering
PU Group
Einarson Geosciences
The Selection Advisory committee, ccnsisting of staff from the
Public Works Depart:rrent. Operatiol'l.s Division, revie°ofied the
proposals and invited BinarGon Geoscience Incorporated~ 3E
Engineering. and PAA Group Consulting Engineers, to oral
presentations/interviews_ The Committ.ee carefully revieo;",'ed each
firm's ~Jalification6, with particular emphasis on their relevant
experience and technical approach to the project. The Comlllittee
recommends Einarson Geoscience Incorporated for the following
reasons:
• Depth of experie~ce in solid waste landfill designi operation
and regulatory compliance i especially ,*,J..th regards to LEg
design, operation and evaluation.
• Familiarity with landfills and LBS's that are in a similar
hydrogeologic sett.ing as the Palo "_ito Landfill.
• OVerall quality and experience of the consultant team assigned
to the project.
.. Thoroughness in responding to the request for proposa:is.
• Demonstrated understand~ng of the project and the technical
approach to the scope of services.
CMR"OS,94 -2-
• Positive recommendations rece~Yed from previous clients_
If the Policy anc Services Committ~e approves the recommendation,
'Contract negotiations .... .i..11 begin with Einarson. Geoscience
Incorporated. If staff is unable to reach an agreement with this
firm, neqotiations ..... ill then COmlT'ence with the secor::.d firm, 3E
Engi~eering. When the agreem~nt has been s~ccesEf~lly negctiated r
it will be submitted to the City Council for approval.
Recommendations
Scaff reccmmends that the policy a::1d Services Committee direct
staff to:
1. Commence negotiations with Einarson Geoscience Incorporated
for consultant service?, for conducting the Palo Alto Landfill
Leacha.te Extraction system Eva.luation.
2. Commence negotialior~9 with 3£ Engir::.eering if staff rails to
reach an agreement with Einarson Geoscience Incorporated.
3. Upon s"o.ccessful completion of negotiations return to Council
for approval.
Respectfully submitted~
dp;;:k~
CHAD CENTOLA
Manager -Environmental Control Programs
iY4dU-J.... 7-1. J~VI<. •
MICHAEL H. MILLER t;L17il:;::-:orkS
GLENN S. ROBERTS
Director of Public Works
~~OJNY
As~istan~ City Manager
Operations
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