Geocon Contract Amendment #1

1. APPROVE contract amendment #1 with Geocon Consultants, Inc. to extend the time of the contract by six months to December 31, 2019 with no increase in budget; and
2. AUTHORIZE the Executive Director to take such other further actions as may be necessary to fulfill the intent of the contract, including approvals of future modifications or amendments that do not significantly alter the scope of work, or change the approved contract term or amount, subject to approval by Agency Counsel.

TAMC hired Geocon Consultants, Inc. in September 2018 for $20,632 after a request for proposals to perform soils and groundwater testing and prepare an Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) of the Salinas Rail Project Package 2 parcels, for the period ending June 30, 2019. The ESA was completed in April 2019 and found arsenic at one testing location. Staff recommends extending this contract for six months with no increase in compensation to enable Geocon to continue to support the property negotiations with additional soils testing to determine the extent of the arsenic contamination, if staff determines this additional testing to be necessary.

The not-to-exceed amount for this contract for hazardous materials testing services for Package 2 properties is $20,632. Sufficient funds are secured for this contract via the state Traffic Congestion Relief Program funds allocated to this project.

The Transportation Agency for Monterey County, as the local lead agency, grantee agency and owner of the Salinas Rail Extension project, proposes to extend passenger rail service from Santa Clara County south to Salinas. The service will start with two daily round trips, expanding to up to six round trips as demand warrants. The project provides an alternative to the highly congested US 101 corridor to access jobs, education, and health care, and improves interregional transportation and air quality.

The Salinas Rail Extension Kick-Start Project final design is well underway and other activities are being pursued simultaneously. The project has been divided into three packages as follows:

1. Package 1: Lincoln Avenue Extension, circulation improvements and parking at the Salinas train station;
2. Package 2: Salinas layover facility and track improvements; and
3. Package 3: Santa Clara County station and track improvements (primarily at Gilroy).

Package 2 of the Salinas Rail Extension project includes a layover facility for up to six trains. The properties to be acquired for this layover facility include one full acquisition and five partial acquisitions abutting the Union Pacific Railroad coast rail line. TAMC hired Geocon Consultants, Inc. in September 2018 to perform soils and groundwater testing and prepare a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (Phase II ESA) for these acquisitions. The Phase II ESA was completed in April 2019 and found elevated arsenic in one sample taken on one parcel; the remainder of the samples (including groundwater) were found to be clean.

At this time, staff is working to contract with a firm to prepare a cost estimate for the cleanup of the arsenic on this parcel to assist with the property acquisition negotiations. It is possible that further soils testing will be necessary to support that cost assessment. For that reason, staff recommends a time extension on this contract with no additional funding to enable Geocon to perform any needed additional soils testing.

Attached is the draft contract amendment.