Council Meeting: March 26, 1996 Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to
Negotiate and Execute an Agreement with ETo Limited for
Services Related to Phases 3 and 4 of a Central
Irrigation Controller Project
Introduction
This report recommends that the City Council authorize the City
Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with ETo Limited,
irrigation consultant, for services related to Phases 3 and 4 of
a Central Irrigation Controller Project. This project is
designed to reduce exterior water use and improve irrigation
management by the City, Santa Monica/Malibu Unified School
District, and Santa Monica College.
Discussion
On October 25, 1994, Council approved the City's participation in
a four-phased $497,196 Central Irrigation Controller project to
be funded by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Bureau), forty
percent (40%); the Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California (MWD), fifty percent (50%); and the City of Santa
Monica, ten percent (10%). The project will result in the
installation of an automated irrigation controller system in a
central location which will control the landscape/turf irrigation
systems at various City park sites, school district sites, and at
Santa Monica College. Phases 1 and 2 of the project, which
concentrate on the inspection and testing of existing irrigation
equipment to be included on the centralized system, are almost
complete. The City has executed an agreement with the MWD and
the Bureau for Phases 3 and 4 of the project totaling $379,160.
Phase 3 will include the selection, purchase and installation of
the central irrigation control system. Phase 4 will focus on
creating and maintaining comprehensive water management plans for
each participating public agency, and providing training and
support to personnel. Water consumption will be monitored to
allow tracking of project progress and verification of water
savings. The costs for Phases 3 and 4 are to be shared as
follows: Bureau $151,664; MWD $189,580; and the City $37,916.
On July 11, 1995, City Council authorized the City Manager to
negotiate and execute a contract with ETo Limited for Phases 1
and 2 of the project. ETo Limited has worked on numerous Parks
Division and Santa Monica/Malibu Unified School District sites
and is familiar with the City's existing distribution systems and
their historical water use and has substantial experience
managing central irrigation control system projects for several
California municipalities and universities. In order to maintain
the continuity of the project and take advantage of the unique
database built by ETo, it is now recommended that Council
authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement
with ETo Limited for the professional services needed for Phases
3 and 4 on a sole source basis in an amount not to exceed
$70,000. The MWD supports this approach to ensure the maximum
cost-effectiveness of the project.
Budget/Fiscal Impact
No additional funds for this contract are requested. The funds
for ETo Limited's services have been included in the total budget
for the Central Irrigation Controller Project residing in account
number 25-760-662-20095-8900-99795. As previously negotiated
with the MWD and the Bureau of Reclamation, the City will
directly pay for the various components of the project and
receive a bi-monthly reimbursement through a credit on the City's
water bill from the Metropolitan Water District. The contract
for ETo Limited's services is for a portion of the $379,160 cost
for Phases 3 and 4 of the project, and will not exceed $70,000.
Recommendation
It is recommended that City Council authorize the City Manager to
negotiate and execute an agreement with ETo Limited for $70,000
for completion of Phases 3 and 4 of the Central Irrigation
Controller Project.
Prepared by: Craig Perkins, Director of Environmental & Public
Works Management
Susan Munves, Conservation Coordinator