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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHELIX_SOQ_Canyon Loop Improvement HMMPCanyon Loop Trail Improvment Habitat Mitigation Monitoring Program Restoration Contractor Services Statement of Qualifications October 17, 2023 HELIX Environmental Planning, Inc. 7578 El Cajon Boulevard La Mesa, CA 91942 619.462.1515 tel 619.462.0552 fax www.helixepi.com October 17, 2023 City of Diamond Bar Parks & Recreation Ryan Wright, Parks & Recreation Director 21810 Copley Drive Diamond Bar, CA 91765 Subject: Statement of Qualifications for Canyon Loop Trail Improvement Habitat Mitigation Monitoring Program Restoration Contractor Services Dear Mr. Wright : HELIX Environmental Planning, Inc. (HELIX) is pleased to respond to the City of Diamond Bar ’s (City) Request for Proposals (RFP) to provide Habitat Mitigation Monitoring Program Restoration Contractor Services for the Canyon Loop Trail Improvement program. Our team is qualified with extensive experience in habitat restoration and maintenance and expertise in southern California native and non-native flora and fauna. As demonstrated in our Statement of Qualifications (SOQ), the HELIX team has the expertise, depth of staff, specialized knowledge, and hands-on experience necessary to provide excellent service to the City. HELIX specializes in the design, construction, and maintenance of native habitats, often as part of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and federal and state regulatory permitting required mitigation; invasive species removal and herbicide treatments in southern California habitats; erosion control Best Management Practice (BMP) installation and maintenance; irrigation installation and maintenance; native plant and seed installation; and fuel reduction management. We have reviewed the City’s RFP and find all terms and conditions, including insurance requirements, acceptable. If you have any questions concerning this SOQ or need any additional information regarding HELIX, please contact me at JustinF@helixepi.com or 619.462.1515 ext. 205 or Erik McCracken at ErikM@helixepi.com or 619.668.7463 ext. 283. Thank you for considering HELIX. We look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Justin Fischbeck Principal 2 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. PROJECT TEAM ..................................................... 3 2. CONTRACTOR'S EXPERIENCE & REFERENCES .. 10 3. PROJECT UNDERSTANDING ............................... 13 4. FEE PROPOSAL .................................................... 17 3 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services 1. PROJECT TEAM Our team will consist of a Contract Manager, a Project Manager, a Restoration Supervisor, a Land Manager, a Restoration Foreman, a restoration field team of more than 50 technicians, and biological resource assistance from a Senior Biology Project Manager and HELIX’s in-house Nursery Manager. HELIX will notify the City of any changes in personnel during the contract period and will provide the City with an updated organizational chart and personnel qualifications. This team has worked together for multiple years and is experienced in various approaches to habitat maintenance in sensitive areas. Erik McCracken | Contract Manager Education: BS, Statistical Sciences; BA, Environmental Studies Mr. McCracken will serve as Contract Manager and will be responsible for managing the contract requirements, including task orders, invoicing, scheduling, work performance, and developing strategies related to the execution of this contract. Mr. McCracken has experience managing and implementing large-scale and complex projects, budget tracking and reporting, coordinating multiple subcontractors and schedules, supporting agency coordination and submittals, client communications, and managing personnel. As a contract manager, he works closely with clients and biologists to develop implementation and maintenance strategies and with HELIX restoration crews and subcontractors in the field to ensure the plan is implemented successfully. By combining his experience in the construction field with his background in environmental studies and statistical sciences, Mr. McCracken provides data-based, adaptive management techniques for project constraints while remaining focused on implementing the environmental components needed to meet project success criteria. Mr. McCracken has managed numerous habitat restoration installation and maintenance projects for diverse clients, including municipalities, private developers, and utility providers. He coordinates with client project managers/staff, prepares scope and fee proposals, and manages task orders/projects. His management responsibilities include communicating with client points of contact, overseeing HELIX’s in-house specialists and subconsultants, preparing and tracking project schedules, keeping deliverables on time and within budget, performing quality control reviews, and processing invoices. Selected experience includes: Orange County Waste & Recycling Central & North Region Landfill Habitat Management Contract Manager for habitat maintenance and erosion control services for the Orange County (OC) Waste and Recycling North and Central Regional Landfills. Activities include remedial planting, irrigation repair, non-native plant maintenance and removal, erosion control BMP installation and maintenance, and hand watering. Management tasks included developing task orders, scope and approaches, cost estimates, invoice review and management, quality control of 4 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services project reports and schedules, and budget tracking on over 17 task orders and seven project sites for OC Waste and Recycling. Mesa Colima 500 kV Substation Mitigation – Habitat Restoration Plan Writing and Implementation Project Manager for the 22-acre restoration and preservation project associated with the Mesa Colima Substation. Tasks include the development of the Habitat Restoration Plan and Long-Term Management Plan, which required coordination with the California Public Utilities Commission, County of Los Angeles, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the project biologist, and project development team. Following the development of the project plans, crew tasks included weed control, safety planning and implementation, and mitigation reporting. Steep slopes on the project required developing a safety plan to implement rappelling work to control non-natives. Management activities also include client coordination, review of information to be uploaded to an online reporting database, coordination of responses to public inquiries, and tracking of project conditions relative to success criteria. Work performed for Southern California Edison. French Valley Community Integrated Mitigation Plan Project Manager for the habitat restoration project to mitigate impacts of the Clinton Keith Road construction in Riverside County. The 12-acre mitigation project is divided between an 8-acre off-site and a four-acre on-site habitat restoration effort. Tasks include excavation and grading of a disturbed channel, exporting 12,000 cubic yards of soil, installing rip-rap and other water retention features, and installing irrigation, native container plants, and hydroseed. HELIX will maintain the sites for up to five years to meet final success criteria. Work performed for Riverside County Transportation Department. Foothill Parkway Westerly Extension Mitigation Project Manager overseeing the site preparation, grading, and invasive species removal for the City of Corona’s Foothill Parkway Westerly Extension Mitigation project. The project has two active mitigation sites requiring removal of non- native species through heavy equipment, hand removal, and herbicide application. Site One is a 43-acre mitigation site consisting primarily of coastal sage scrub habitat. Tasks include removal of non-native trees and annual weed species, trash cleanup, fence installation, and installation of water services. Site Two is a 40-acre riparian site, primarily consisting of non-native vegetation such as Arundo, tamarisk, eucalyptus, palm trees, pepper trees, and non-native annual species. Tasks include removal of non-natives and trash within a 40-working day period to prevent potential setbacks during bird breeding season. Stadium Wetland Mitigation Project Project Manager for installation and maintenance of a 57-acre habitat restoration project within the active San Diego River channel between I-15 and I-805, south of former Qualcomm Stadium, in Mission Valley, San Diego. Tasks managed include coordination with City and project biologists, Caltrans, City of San Diego recycled water staff, Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPP) development and implementation, removal of non-native species within the river channel, management of subcontractors, installation of 27 acres of irrigation, installation of over 20,000 container plants, installation of two-plus miles of chain-link fence, and grading of secondary channels to create additional wetland mitigation acreage. Management of the maintenance phase includes weed abatement, irrigation repair, trash cleanup, vandalism repair, fence repair, and plant replacement. The project was performed for the City of San Diego and will serve as mitigation for multiple Public Utilities Department improvement projects. It was successfully completed in spring 2023. 5 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services Stephen Zetterberg | Project Manager Education: BS, Environmental Systems: Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution Registration: Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Remote Pilot’s License for Small Unmanned Aircraft No. 4079102 Mr. Zetterberg will serve as Project Manager and ensure continuous and effective communication with the City and the project team. Mr. Zetterberg is a Construction Project Manager for habitat restoration and construction projects throughout Southern California. He has five years of experience and works diligently with project managers, restoration crews, and biologists to ensure clients’ needs are met, and projects are successful. He has experience managing a wide variety of project aspects, from the initial planning stage to implementation and through final sign-off for project completion with governmental agencies. Mr. Zetterberg is skilled in habitat restoration, understanding ecological relationships, construction and installation, and habitat maintenance. Mr. Zetterberg provides quality management techniques and technical skills to solve environmental issues for projects. One of Mr. Zetterberg ’s technical skills is developing and managing Survey123, an ArcGIS application. This GIS-enabled data management platform allows thorough collection of daily information from field crew members and is essential for successful projects. His surveys now have thousands of data records collecting staff timesheets, field activity, and safety data. Another unique ability Mr. Zetterberg brings is the skillful use of drones, or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), for environmental purposes. He was the architect of HELIX’s in-house drone program and earned his FAA Part 107 pilot ’s license. Mr. Zetterberg and his team fly projects from five to 500 acres, producing high-quality maps, terrain models, three-dimensional models, photography, and videography. Selected experience includes: Orange County Waste & Recycling Central and North Region Landfill Habitat Management Project Manager for habitat maintenance and erosion control services for OC Waste and Recycling North and Central Regional Landfills. Activities include remedial planting, irrigation repair, non-native plant maintenance and removal, erosion control BMP installation and maintenance, and hand watering. Mesa Colima 500 kV Substation Mitigation - HRP and Interim Maintenance Assistant Project Manager for the 22-acre restoration and preservation project associated with the Mesa Colima Substation. This off-site parcel is located on Southern California Edison-owned property and falls between existing TRTP towers along the Section 8 alignment. Tasks include management of crews for weed control, safety planning and implementation, and online reporting. Work performed for Southern California Edison. French Valley Community Integrated Mitigation Plan Assistant Project Manager for restoration services to mitigate the impacts of the construction of Clinton Keith Road in Riverside County. The 12-acre mitigation project is divided between an 8-acre off-site and a 4-acre on-site habitat restoration effort. Tasks include removing non-native trees, excavating and grading a disturbed channel, exporting 12,000 cubic yards of soil, installing rip-rap and other water retention features, installing irrigation, native container plants, hydroseed, and a five-year maintenance program. HELIX will maintain the sites for five years to meet the final success criteria. Maintenance activities include weed abatement, herbicide application, irrigation repair, and plant replacement. Work performed for Riverside County Transportation Department. Trabuco and Modjeska Habitat Restoration Project Manager for habitat installation, maintenance, and monitoring in Trabuco Canyon. Coordinated the installation of hydroseed and native container plants in several project areas in Trabuco Canyon. Managed biological monitors and field staff to monitor and maintain the habitat installed. A water buffalo was used to hand water emerging native species opportunistically in the project area and achieved sign-off on two project areas permitted under the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. Work performed for Orange County Public Works. Santa Clarita McBean & Newhall Ranch Road CIP Maintenance Project Manager for non-native plant removal, fencing, irrigation maintenance, and tree planting as part of the 6 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services installation phase throughout a 7-acre project area for the City of Santa Clarita, CA. Approximately 1,000 cuttings were installed and irrigated using drip irrigation. Coordinated HELIX biological monitors that performed a tree inventory and assessment for the mitigation trees of the approximately 7-acre mitigation site located within the City of Santa Clarita. HELIX was awarded a 5-year maintenance contract under a separate agreement for an additional 4-year period. Current tasks include vegetation management and monitoring and irrigation installation and maintenance. Lauren Singleton | Senior Biology Project Manager Education: MS, Biology; BS, Biology/Ecology Minor, Chemistry Registration: Qualified California Rapid Assessment Method, Practitioner; USFWS, Endangered and Threatened Wildlife Species Permit (Authorized to conduct surveys for the coastal California gnatcatcher), No. ES-778195-15 Ms. Singleton is a Senior Biology Project Manager with 13 years of experience. She prepares a variety of technical reports, including CEQA-level biological technical reports, Habitat Mitigation and Monitoring Plans, Long-term Management Plans, and mitigation annual technical monitoring reports. Ms. Singleton has performed biological fieldwork throughout Southern California counties involving habitat assessments, vegetation mapping, tree surveys, construction and mitigation monitoring, wetland delineations, jurisdictional delineations, and California Rapid Assessment Methods (CRAM). She is skilled in identifying local flora and fauna and has conducted focused surveys for rare plants, burrowing owl, and least Bell’s vireo. She is permitted by the USFWS to independently conduct surveys for federally listed coastal California gnatcatcher. Ms. Singleton also has expertise in invertebrate pests, such as the goldspotted oak borer and polyphagous shot hole borer. She has additional specialized experience in stream ecology and is trained in conducting bioassessment following the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program protocol. Selected experience includes: Mesa Colima 500 kV Substation Mitigation Habitat Restoration & Mitigation Plan and Interim Maintenance Biologist assisting in the development of a Habitat Restoration and Mitigation Plan (HRMP) and Long-Term Management Plan (LTMP) for an off-site 20-acre mitigation site in the cities of Hacienda Heights, La Habra Heights, and Whittier, as well as unincorporated Los Angeles County. This off-site parcel is located on Southern California Edison (SCE) owned right-of-way and falls between existing Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project (TRTP) towers along the Section 8 alignment. The HRMP was developed to guide the restoration of 16 acres of coastal sage scrub habitat to offset project impacts on this community. The LTMP was prepared to guide the perpetual management of the 20-acre mitigation site, including developing a preliminary endowment estimate. The HRMP and LTMP will be sent for approval by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). HELIX’s other tasks have included documenting baseline conditions on the mitigation site, implementing interim weed control, safety planning and implementation, and FRED reporting. Work performed for SCE. Mt. San Antonio College East Parcel Habitat Mitigation Biological Consulting Lead Biologist during mitigation implementation for the Mt. San Antonio College’s East Parel Restoration Project in the City of Walnut, Los Angeles County, California. Monitored planting activities during Venturan coastal sage scrub installation as mitigation for impacts to occupied CAGN habitat. Monitoring activities included verifying project limits, identifying non-native species for removal, reviewing plant and seed purchase orders, and inspecting plant material. Prepared a post-installation report documenting all monitoring activities and as-built conditions of the mitigation site. Conducted monthly maintenance monitoring and coordinated with the maintenance contractor regarding recommended action items. Work performed for Mt. San Antonio College. Chino Hills Peyton Drive Phase 3 and English Channel/Creek Habitat Mitigation Lead Biologist during mitigation implementation for the Chino Hills’ Peyton Drive Phase 3 Project in the City of Chino Hills, San Bernardino County. Monitored grading and planting activities during mitigation installation. Verified the project limits, monitored vegetation removal within the grading footprint, advised the contractor of non-native species that needed to be removed, and recommended planting locations. Attended weekly meetings with the City and contractors to discuss project progress and identify any concerns. Prepared a post-installation report documenting all 7 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services monitoring activities and as-built conditions of the mitigation site. Work performed as a subcontractor to AKM Consulting Engineers, with the City of Chino Hills as the lead agency. Culver Drive/University Drive Intersection Improvements, Construction Monitoring, Habitat Mitigation & Monitoring Plan Implementation Biologist for the City of Irvine’s proposed road improvements to the intersection of Culver Drive and University Drive in the City of Irvine, Orange County. Conducted nesting bird surveys and monitoring during project construction. Completed the Year One CRAM assessment for the William R. Mason Regional Park mitigation areas. Work performed for the City of Irvine. Saddle Crest Project Biologist for a proposed residential development in the Community of Trabuco Canyon in Orange County. Conducted a baseline CRAM assessment for the proposed impact and mitigation areas. Also conducted pre-construction surveys for nesting birds and sensitive reptile species and provided biological monitoring during project construction. Stephen Steward | Nursery Manager Education: College courses in Ecology & Conservation Biology Registration: International Society of Arboriculture, Certified Arborist No. WE-12254A Mr. Steward is a Certified Arborist recognized by the International Society of Arboriculture. He has extensive experience in native plant horticulture, habitat restoration, and biological monitoring and management. Stephen began his career in 1999 with the Zoological Society of San Diego, where he managed and propagated endangered reptile and amphibian species. He also worked on in-situ conservation projects for the Society in Southern California, Mexico, the Caribbean, and India. Stephen transitioned to native plant horticulture in 2006, where he was hired as the cactus and succulents propagator for Desert Survivors Native Plant Nursery in Tucson, Arizona. In 2012, Stephen became the horticulturist for Pima County, Arizona, where he managed a native plant-growing operation. Since 2014, Mr. Steward has served as Nursery Manager for HELIX, where he is responsible for the propagation of native plant species for HELIX projects. As nursery manager, Mr. Steward is engaged in all aspects of the restoration process, from monitoring plant health and diversity at project sites to species selection and general landscape consultation. Selected experience includes: Tijuana River Valley Regional Park Southwest Trails Phase III Nursery Manager and Consulting Horticulturalist for a trail restoration project in the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park in in the City of Imperial Beach. Activities include the propagation and growth of native plant materials for the project, as well as plant palette design and consultation. Work performed for the County of San Diego. Landscape Design for North City Water Reclamation Plant Consulting Horticulturalist for the plant material reuse effort at the San Diego North City Water Reclamation Plant facility. Activities were focused on the methodology of cactus and succulent salvage and reinstallation, including some consultation with the design contractor for the final design. Work performed for the City of San Diego. Sycamore Landfill Biological & Sensitive Species Mitigation Services Nursery Manager for the sensitive species mitigation work at the Sycamore Landfill translocation site. Activities are mainly focused on the seed/acorn collection and propagation of four sensitive species at the nursery: Bloomeria clevelandii Dudleya variegata, Quercus dumosa and Ferocactus viridescens. Specialized horticultural techniques are being developed and implemented to achieve greater success with the reintroduction of these particularly challenging species. Mast Park Project Nursery Manager for species survey and propagation of plant material for the 12.7-acre San Diego River/Mast Park project wetland restoration and enhancement areas in the City of Santee. Initial responsibilities included preliminary site 8 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services evaluations, species identification, and seed/material collection. The bulk of the activity was the propagation and growth of restoration plants for the project. Work performed for the City of Santee. Balboa & I-15 Canyon Long-Term Access Project Designated Horticulturalist for the Long-Term Access Project for the City of San Diego, located at Balboa & I-15 Canyon in a critical watershed along the I-15 corridor. Horticultural activities included the collection of seeds from the endangered Ceanothus verrucosus for future propagation and revegetation of the canyon. Responsibilities also included assessing the health and viability of existing C. verrucosus and locating additional specimens on-site. Otay Crossings Commerce Park Habitat Restoration at Lonestar Ridge Nursery Manager for the Otay Crossings Project in San Diego County. Responsible for salvaging San Diego Barrel Cactus – Ferocactus viridescens from the construction site and the subsequent replanting on mima mounds at the mitigation and vernal pool location. Various geophyte species (Chlorogallum, Dichelostemma, Calochortus) were also salvaged from the vernal pool site during the basin dredging and managed further at the nursery. Jason Saude | Restoration Supervisor Mr. Saude is a Restoration Supervisor for habitat restoration and construction projects in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. He has more than 20 years of experience in construction and landscaping on projects throughout California. He is an expert in workplace safety and is Cal OSHA certified. He has experience supervising a wide variety of projects, including managing crews, leading training and safety meetings, and working closely with government agencies. Selected experience includes: Orange County Waste & Recycling Central and North Region Landfill Habitat Management Restoration Supervisor for habitat maintenance and erosion control services for OC Waste and Recycling North and Central Regional Landfills. Activities include irrigation management and repair, native plant maintenance, and hand watering. Mesa Colima 500 kV Substation Fall 2022 Habitat Mitigation Installation Restoration Supervisor for the 22-acre restoration and preservation project associated with the Mesa Colima Substation. This off-site parcel is located on Southern California Edison-owned property and falls between existing TRTP towers along the Section 8 alignment. Tasks include management of crews for site preparation and maintenance, safety planning and implementation, and communication with client. Work performed for Southern California Edison. French Valley Community Integrated Mitigation Plan Restoration Supervisor for restoration services to mitigate impacts of the Clinton Keith Road construction in Riverside County. The 12-acre mitigation project is divided between an eight-acre off-site and a four-acre on-site habitat restoration effort. Tasks include removing non-native trees, excavating and grading a disturbed channel, exporting 12,000 cubic yards of soil, installing rip-rap and other water retention features, installing irrigation, native container plants, hydroseed, and a five-year maintenance program. Provided weed abatement, irrigation repair and maintenance, data collection, and reporting. Work performed for Riverside County Transportation Department. Santa Clarita McBean & Newhall Ranch Road Environmental Mitigation Restoration Supervisor for streambed restoration projects to mitigate impacts from widening the Newhall Ranch Road Bridge over San Francisquito Creek in the City of Santa Clarita in Los Angeles County. The project included the treatment of invasive species and restoration of riparian habitat. Supervised restoration crews, conducted safety protocol meetings, conducted herbicide applications and invasive species removal. 9 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services Francisco Cortez | Land Manager Mr. Cortez has more than ten years of experience in the landscape industry working as a foreman in Orange County. He is responsible for independently assessing the status of restoration projects in the maintenance phase. Additional responsibilities include programming irrigation controllers, irrigation repairs, optimizing labor efficiency based on weed stage of growth/weather/budget, and data collection. Selected experience includes: Mesa Colima 500 kV Substation Off-site Habitat Mitigation Land Manager for the 22-acre restoration and preservation project associated with the Mesa Colima Substation. This off-site parcel is located on Southern California Edison-owned property and falls between existing TRTP towers along the Section 8 alignment. Tasks include managing irrigation crews and providing weed abatement spraying through rappelling work on steep slopes. Work performed for Southern California Edison. West of Devers 220kV Upgrade Habitat Restoration and Revegetation Plan Land Manager for restoring areas temporarily impacted by the construction of the West of Devers transmission line project to pre-existing conditions. Responsible for overseeing restoration crew activities, including weeding, replanting, reseeding, trash hauling, and providing supplemental irrigation to established plantings. French Valley Community Integrated Mitigation Plan Land Manager for restoration services to mitigate impacts of the Clinton Keith Road construction in Riverside County. The 12-acre mitigation project is divided between an eight-acre off-site and a four-acre on-site habitat restoration effort. Tasks include removing non-native trees, installing irrigation, native container plants, hydroseed, and a five-year maintenance program. Provided plant establishment work and maintenance, including overseeing the irrigation installation crew, transporting native plants from the HELIX nursery to the site, and irrigation repair. McBean Parkway and Newhall Ranch Road Bridge Environmental Mitigation Tree Maintenance Land Manager for a seven-acre restoration project area in the City of Santa Clarita. Approximately 1,000 cuttings were installed and irrigated using drip irrigation as well as irrigation repair and non-native plant removal. Following installation, HELIX is providing long-term maintenance for the site. Responsible for irrigation inspections and repair. San Jacinto River Preserve Restoration Land Manager for habitat restoration and mitigation for impacts caused by Southern California Edison in Valle Vista in Riverside County. Oversaw crew providing non-native vegetation maintenance in impacted areas around Poles. Work performed for Southern California Edison. Donald Anderson| Restoration Foreman Mr. Anderson has a background in landscaping and gardening, with 18 years of experience providing landscape maintenance services. Upon joining HELIX in 2011, Mr. Anderson has since led restoration crews on habitat projects ranging from hundreds of acres to small parcels. He is an expert in the various tasks and duties integral to habitat construction and restoration, such as habitat creation, maintenance, irrigation, weed abatement, vegetation thinning and removal, erosion control, identifying native plants, and herbicide application. Selected experience includes: OC Waste & Recycling Central and North Region Landfill Habitat Management Restoration Foreman for habitat maintenance and erosion control services for the OC Waste and Recycling North and Central Regional Landfills. Managing field crew activities that include remedial planting, irrigation repair, non-native plant maintenance and removal, erosion control BMP installation and maintenance, and hand watering. Work performed for Orange County Waste and Recycling. Sweetwater Loop Trail Mitigation Site Restoration Lead for restoration and enhancement for an open space easement totaling 1.76 acres as part of mitigation 10 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services for the SR-125 extension project located in the unincorporated community of Spring Valley, San Diego County. The project consisted of 1.5 acres of southern willow scrub and 0.26 acres of maritime succulent scrub within the Sweetwater Loop Trail and included vegetation clearing and native plant installation. Work performed for the County of San Diego. Briggs Road Restoration Lead for enhancement of an approximately 16.5-acre site in Riverside County, where the coastal sage scrub habitat was seeded with native species. Assisted with continued habitat maintenance. Work performed for a private developer. North Torrey Pines Bridge Replacement MND Restoration Lead for restoration of 1.34 acres of coastal sage scrub habitat located within the Torrey Pines State Reserve and 1.76 acres of habitat creation off-site in San Diego County. Restoration activity included dethatching the site, installing temporary above-ground irrigation, grow/kill cycles to reduce non-native plant cover, thinning dominant native shrubs, and installing container plantings and native seed collected from the restoration site. Maintenance activity continued for five years. Work performed for the City of San Diego. 2. CONTRACTOR’S EXPERIENCE & REFERENCES Since 2003, HELIX has provided environmental-related construction and maintenance services, including habitat restoration, invasive plant removal, irrigation installation, plant and seed installation, stormwater BMP installation and maintenance, and fuel reduction management services. HELIX has also assisted the County of Orange, City of Irvine, City, and County, of Riverside, County of San Diego, City of San Diego, City of Chula Vista, California State Parks, and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) among others in developing and implementing habitat restoration design and maintenance work plans. The plans we write are created in collaboration with our clients, accounting for specific project needs, and completed plans are frequently implemented by HELIX restoration staff. These efforts have primarily focused on public agency-owned land, ranging in size from less than 1/4 acre to hundreds of acres of vegetation removal and invasive species control. Our in-house habitat restoration team includes project managers, habitat restoration specialists, skilled supervisors, equipment operators, and more than 50 knowledgeable field restoration technicians. Our project managers and field crews are experienced in restoring all San Diego native habitat types, including riparian, wetland, upland, grassland, vernal pool, scrub-shrub, desert, tidal wetlands, and more. Habitat restoration projects have access to HELIX’s in-house native plant nursery that can develop an inventory of plants not only native to Los Angeles County but specific to precise project locations. Field crews are trained in habitat restoration practices, including equipment operation, native and non-native plant identification, seed collection and plant propagation, herbicide application, invasive exotic species removal techniques, site preparation, irrigation installation, planting, seeding, and the installation and maintenance of stormwater best management practices. Using heavy equipment, mechanical tools, power equipment, hand tools, and herbicide treatment, HELIX field crews have conducted vegetation management and invasive species control on all vegetation communities while protecting adjacent native species and habitat. HELIX field crews maintain a high level of technical skills. They understand biological communities on project sites, carefully avoiding sensitive bird nesting habitats/seasons and special-status plant species and taking extra precautions to preserve sensitive resources. HELIX field crews are accustomed to working closely with project biologists and clients to achieve project goals while protecting sensitive resources. 11 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services HELIX has worked on hundreds of projects, delivering cost-effective results that benefit the environment and the adjacent public and private properties. We have worked on numerous projects throughout Southern California and are familiar with the environmental concerns of working in local habitats and rugged terrain. Our restoration/maintenance staff and biologists have the expertise and capabilities to provide all the work identified in the City ’s RFP and exceed the City ’s expectations for this contract. With a valid State of California C-27 Landscaping and Class A General Contractor ’s license (#831496), Pest Control Business license (#32774), California Qualified Applicator ’s Licenses (QAL) for categories B and C, and Qualified Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) Practitioner (QSP) certifications, HELIX is qualified to provide a full range of habitat restoration, invasive species treatment, and stormwater BMP management services. A selected list of recent projects highlighting our work and experience with native plant installation, native habitat experience, public lands experience, and environmental permit compliance follows. Orange County Waste & Recycling North and Central Region Landfill Habitat Management Since 2017, HELIX has been the maintenance contractor for the OC Waste & Recycling North and Central Region Landfills. To date, HELIX has successfully performed work under 21 task orders, ranging from routine maintenance on landfill slopes, maintenance of mitigation sites including Wetland Channel and West Basin sites, repair of and installation of SWPPP BMPs, oak tree mitigation replanting and hand watering within Santiago Canyon, closed landfill maintenance tasks at Santiago Canyon and Gothard Station, and site beautification efforts at Frank R. Bowerman and Olinda Alpha Landfills. Maintenance activities included removing dead and dying plant material pursuant to Orange County Fire Authority Vegetation Management Guidelines within a 170’ Fuel Modification Zone surrounding the flare station and flare stacks. Upon completion, the Orange County Fire Department inspected and approved fuel management activities. HELIX is conducting habitat maintenance and erosion control services for the Orange County Waste and Recycling North and Central Regional Landfills. The project includes multiple on- site wetland mitigation areas and off-site mitigation for oak trees at Santiago Oaks Regional Park, native slopes within the inactive Santiago Regional Landfill, maintained slopes within the Frank R. Bowerman Landfill, and native habitat areas on adjacent Orange County Parks lands. The project also includes maintenance within the Olinda Alpha Regional Landfill and Gothard Disposal Station on an as-needed basis. Project Manager: Weena Dalby 949.262.2433/weena.dalby@ocwr.ocgov.com 12 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services Southern California Edison Mitigation & Restoration Services On-Call Contract HELIX is the prime consultant for the Southern California Edison (SCE) Mitigation & Restoration Services (MARS) on-call contract to provide compensatory mitigation and habitat restoration technical and construction services to the SCE Environmental Services Division to support construction projects and Operations and Maintenance (O&M) activities. SCE is required to mitigate impacts on biological resources resulting from the removal, relocation, modification, and/or construction of transmission, sub-transmission, distribution, or telecommunication structures, as well as other construction activities necessary to support this contract. Since 2019, HELIX has actively worked on over 60 task orders for projects in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Orange, and Riverside counties. HELIX has provided a wide range of support services through this contract, including baseline biological surveys, vegetation mapping, tree health inventory, tree hazard risk assessments, focused species surveys, nesting bird surveys, fisheries/aquatic resources support, construction monitoring, restoration implementation and monitoring, permitting and agency support, CEQA and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA ) support, and erosion control support. Projects from this on-call include: • Mesa Colima 500 kV Substation Off-site Habitat Mitigation | Los Angeles County In addition to conducting weed maintenance, HELIX prepared the Habitat Restoration and Mitigation Plan (HRMP) and Long-Term Management Plan (LTMP) for the Mesa Colima Off-site Mitigation project. The Mesa Colima Substation project consists of constructing the new Mesa 500kV Substation in the City of Monterey Park, as well as additional project components that pass through the Cities of Montebello, South El Monte, Bell Gardens, Pasadena, Commerce, and portions of unincorporated Los Angeles County. The HRMP was developed to restore approximately 16 acres of coastal sage scrub habitat located directly adjacent to occupied coastal California gnatcatcher habitat. Maintenance activities include spot spraying herbicides that target invasive species, including mustard, Russian thistle, and fennel. HELIX developed a site-specific safety plan for Mesa Colima and is involved in SCE’s Field Reporting Environmental Database (FRED) reporting as part of this Tier 1 Safety project. • Idle Transmission Line Removal - TD 1104776 | Orange County HELIX provided biological and restoration services for a utility project to decommission and remove approximately a one-half mile of idle transmission line in the City of Laguna Beach. HELIX performed biological surveys, monitoring, reporting, restoration, and maintenance in areas temporarily disturbed by construction activities associated with the full or partial removal of idle power poles and perimeter fence maintenance. Work was conducted within the vicinity of sensitive habitat and rare plants. During construction, HELIX biological monitors worked with contractors to identify sensitive resources and develop solutions to conduct work while avoiding these resources. Project Manager: Renee Latu 626.476.8506 /renee.latu@sce.com 13 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services • West of Devers 220kV Upgrade Habitat Restoration and Revegetation Plan | Riverside County HELIX is supporting SCE’s West of Devers transmission line project by restoring areas temporarily impacted by construction to pre-existing conditions. Restoration activities include but are not limited to, weeding, replanting, reseeding, and providing supplemental irrigation to established plantings. HELIX is also performing monthly qualitative monitoring and annual quantitative monitoring on all active restoration areas and preparing an annual report to document site progress. Riverside County Transportation Department French Valley Community Integrated Mitigation Plan Since 2020, HELIX has been providing habitat restoration services to mitigate the Clinton Keith Road construction impacts in Riverside County. The 12-acre mitigation project is divided between an eight-acre off-site and a four-acre on-site habitat restoration effort. Tasks include removing non-native trees, excavating and grading a disturbed channel, exporting 12,000 cubic yards of soil, installing rip-rap and other water retention features, installing irrigation, native container plants, hydroseed, and a five- year maintenance program. HELIX will maintain the sites for five years to meet the final success criteria. Maintenance activities include weed abatement, herbicide application, irrigation repair, and plant replacement. 3. PROJECT UNDERSTANDING HELIX has reviewed the project documentation and understands the requirements of the RFP and the project goals. HELIX has prepared an approach to implementation and maintenance based on the HMMP details and has provided alternatives, as requested by the City that can be implemented to enhance or supplement the scope of work as-needed based on an adaptive management approach. The project requires the restoration of a 0.10 acre disturbed upland area into coast prickly pear scrub (CPPS) habitat and enhancement of two separate sites, Site A (0.05 acres) and Site B (0.09 acres), into California sagebrush–black sage scrub (CSBSS) habitat. The restoration and enhancement areas are set within the Summitridge Park Canyon Loop Trail, used by members of the community as a recreational trail, and is serving as mitigation for the trail improvements made by the City. The mitigation sites have sensitive resources adjacent to and throughout the park, including nesting birds, which must be protected and avoided during nesting season. Mitigation has set criteria to be met by the end of the five-year maintenance period and are based on reference sites for each respective habitat. HELIX is prepared to work alongside the City and their selected Project Biologist to implement and maintain the restoration and enhancement areas to meet the success criteria listed in the HMMP and has outlined an approach below to reach those goals in a cost-effective and timely manner. Project Manager: David Hyklema 951.850.6075/DHylkema@RIVCO.org 14 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services TECHNICAL APPROACH Pre-Construction Tasks HELIX will immediately work to execute the contract upon award. HELIX will prepare and send in necessary contract documentation, such as certificates of insurance and necessary prevailing wage information. HELIX will schedule a kick- off meeting with the City and Project Biologists to discuss the project. A draft agenda will be sent prior to the meeting and will include topics such as introduction of staff, scope and approach, schedule of activities, sensitive resource avoidance, nesting bird surveys, and safety and job hazards. After the kick-off meeting, HELIX will send out meeting notes and action items. HELIX will finalize the schedule and send out a final version. HELIX will begin mobilization of materials and equipment in anticipation of the first day of fieldwork. A HELIX biologist will conduct pre-construction nesting bird surveys prior to clearing and maintenance activities that occur within the general bird nesting season (generally, February 15 through September 15). The survey will be conducted within three days of the start of clearing and maintenance activities. Following completion of the survey, a summary of the results will be sent to the City and restoration biologist via e-mail. If nesting birds were identified during the survey, the summary will include a map of active nest(s) and corresponding setback buffer from the active nest based on the project requirements, species, nest location, and other environmental factors. This task does not include additional site visits to conduct nest monitoring or determine the status of nests, which would require a separate scope of services. If survey results are negative and/or not impacting the project work areas, HELIX will start work according to the schedule. If survey results impact the work areas, HELIX will coordinate with the City to determine alternative approaches and schedules. Site Preparation HELIX will begin on-site activities with a safety discussion of the job hazard analysis. A job hazard analysis (JHA) is a part of every morning’s safety tailgate meeting. The job hazard analysis is led by crew members and discusses job activities, hazards, risks, risk mitigation and proper Personal Protective Equipment Use. Following the safety meeting, HELIX will ensure that sensitive resources within and adjacent to the project site are flagged. HELIX crew members are trained on native versus non-native plant identification. However, the location of any sensitive resources will be identified to the entire crew prior to work starting, including plants, potential nests, or other animal habitat. HELIX will undergo contractor training program provided by the Project Restoration Ecologist. HELIX will begin weed removal activities by cutting and bagging live seed heads for removal off-site. The remaining biomass of non-native grasses and herbaceous annuals will then be mulched using weed whips on-site and will be spread to less than 2’’ in depth. The organic biomass will break down into the soil over the first year. Woody non-native material that cannot be mulched will be cut and removed from the site. Small trash and debris will be removed. After clearing the area, HELIX will install perimeter fencing using silt fence. The silt fence will not be trenched in for erosion control purposes. Instead, the silt fence has a dual purpose as a barrier to prevent weed seeds from coming onto the site from adjacent areas and also serves as a boundary marker to deter members of the public from accessing and disturbing the restoration effort. Lastly, HELIX will install up to eight restoration signs, as listed in the HMMP. The signs will state “DO NOT ENTER RESTORATION IN PROGRESS” and will be greater than one foot by one foot in size, and will be labeled in English, Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, and Cantonese. The signs will be attached to the posts of the silt fence. Weed Abatement Prior to Planting and Seeding Following the completion of the site preparation activities, HELIX will perform weed abatement activities described in the HMMP. Weed abatement will include hand pulling, weed whipping, and as-needed herbicide application. HELIX holds multiple Qualified Applicator Licenses, and all employees are trained on the safe and appropriate use of herbicides. Any spraying activities will be coordinated with the City and conducted only in appropriate weather 15 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services conditions. Each weed abatement activity that occurs within the nesting season will be preceded by a nesting bird survey in accordance with the scope provided for surveys above. Weed abatement activities will be performed to remove any non-native growth establishing on-site. HELIX Land Manager Francisco Cortez will perform monthly spot checks and work with the Project Manager and Project Biologist to time weed abatement events, so they are most effective. It is expected that two weed abatement events will occur, with the first in early Spring 2024 and the second in summer 2024. Additional weed abatement events may be needed and are provided as an alternative. Plant and Seed Installation Installation activities will begin with a site visit to determine whether additional weed abatement activities are required prior to planting and seeding. HELIX will work with the City and project biologist to make this determination. Once the site is determined to be ready for planting and seeding, HELIX will begin implementation activities with cutting collection from nearby source material after the first significant rainfall of the fall/winter season in 2024. Cuttings of coast prickly pear plant material will follow the HMMP specifications, including the restrictions on quantity, type, and location of cutting collection. HELIX’s Nursery Manager will be on-site for a day to perform cutting collection to ensure the highest quality of cuttings are collected. Cuttings will be allowed to callus approximately three to four weeks before planting. After the cuttings have callused, HELIX will install cuttings, container stock, and seed by hand in the restoration area. The enhancement area will also be hand-seeded in accordance with the HMMP. HELIX will procure seed from a reputable supplier and provide seed information for approval by the project biologist prior to installation. Seed tags will be provided following the installation of seed. Maintenance and Watering HELIX will perform the five-year maintenance on-site. The schedule for maintenance is expected to be every month in Years One and Two, six events annually in Years Three and Four, and four events in Year Five. HELIX will coordinate with the project biologist and City on the timing of the maintenance events. Maintenance activities that are scheduled during the nesting bird breeding season will be preceded by a nesting bird survey by a qualified HELIX biologist. Maintenance activities will include the removal of exotic and invasive species, replanting up to 50% of the original container stock, reseeding up to 50% of the original seed palette, minor trash and debris removal, fence maintenance and removal, and hand watering. During each maintenance event, if requested, HELIX will bring the watering equipment to irrigation container plantings and cuttings with up to 100 gallons per watering event. In addition to watering during each of the scheduled maintenance events, HELIX has budgeted an additional 18 watering events in Year One, six watering events in Year Two, and six watering events in Year Three during the dry and hot summer months to aid in plant survivorship. Any watering events beyond these additional events will be at the request of the City and/or Project Biologist and billed under Alternative Task #3, as stated below. HELIX understands the performance standards for the restoration site including percent survivorship of planted species, percent cover of native species, percent non-native cover, and percent bare ground which must be achieved. HELIX also understands the separate performance standards for the enhancement areas, which include percent cover by native species, percent non-native cover, and percent bare ground. HELIX also understands the additional zero percent coverage for woody CAL-IPC Invasive plant species. HELIX will work closely with the City and Project Biologist during the maintenance period to time maintenance and watering events towards achieving those goals. Alternatives Alternative #1. Additional Optional Maintenance Year Per the RFP, HELIX is providing an optional year cost for two individual years following the five-year maintenance period. Each optional year includes up to four maintenance events. It does not include irrigation events. Maintenance events will follow the same activities and process as those during the five-year maintenance period. Alternative #2. Interim Cacti Cuttings, Planting and Container Propagation at HELIX Nursery HELIX asked a question in the Question and Answer phase of the RFP about the proposed schedule of site preparation and initial plant, seed, and cutting installation. The answer provided clarified that the schedule expects site preparation 16 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services during January 2024, interim weed abatement between January 2024 and fall 2024, and installation of initial plant material in fall/winter 2024. A low-cost, potentially advantageous alternative proposed by HELIX is to install an initial round of cacti cuttings immediately upon completion of the first weed abatement tasks. Under this alternative, the schedule would be: • Site preparation in early January 2024 • Cutting collection in early January 2024 • Initial weed abatement in early 2024 • Initial cutting installation in early February 2024. There are multiple reasons why this is a potentially advantageous low-cost alternative. HELIX’s nursery manager can collect hundreds of cuttings in a single day, given local material to source from. With hundreds of cuttings collected during the initial site preparation task, we will allow them to callus over 3 to 4 weeks and then plant them after the first weed abatement activity. A quarter (25%) of the cuttings collected will be taken to the HELIX nursery and installed in containers. The benefits are as follows: 1) an additional year of cacti growth towards reaching success criteria, 2) the ability to evaluate the need for watering visits without concern for mortality since these are all “bonus” plantings, 3) a stock of container plants for the following year that are well rooted and supplement cuttings, 4) at the end of the year understanding particular issues with keeping cuttings alive (soil conditions, trespassing/OHV use issues, irrigation, pests), 5) because these are all “bonus” plants, you can experiment with very low-cost maintenance during this period and learn ways to save money during the five year maintenance period of plant care. The cost for Alternative #2 is shown in the fee schedule and includes one day of cutting collection, transport of 25% of collected cuttings to HELIX nursery for propagation into containers, one year of maintenance and care at the HELIX nursery, installation of 75% of collected cuttings following three to four weeks of callusing on-site in quarter one of 2024, transport and installation of the 25% of material as container stock in quarter four of 2024. Alternative #3. Additional Watering Events HELIX has provided a fixed number of watering events as part of the maintenance scheduled days in Years One through Three based on expected natural rainfall patterns. In case of plant mortality, additional watering events may be needed. Alternative #3 is a per-watering event cost for additional watering events. HELIX operates out of a yard less than 10 miles from the project site, meaning we can quickly mobilize for watering efforts and spend a minimal amount of time traveling to and from the site with the watering equipment, which means a cost savings for the City. Each watering event under Alternative #3 includes a two-person crew, truck, and water containers with up to 100 gallons and four hours to perform a watering event. Each watering event will be coordinated with the City and/or Project Biologist so that the amount of water (up to 100 gallons) per plant is clearly defined prior to each event. Alternative #4. Optional Round of Weed Abatement Per the Q&A, HELIX is providing an optional round of weed abatement as a cost under Alternative #4. This task includes a single day of weed abatement for a crew of four. Weed abatement work includes all three sites and follows the same scope as listed above for the scheduled weed abatement tasks. This task budget does not include a nesting bird survey. Alternative #5. Additional Nesting Bird Surveys This task is for any additional nesting bird surveys and includes a single survey and report per the above scope. Currently, HELIX has assumed a total of one survey prior to initial clearing and grubbing work, two surveys prior to weed abatement, six surveys during Year One of the five-year maintenance period, six surveys during Year Two, three surveys in Year Three, three surveys in Year Four, and two surveys in Year Five. 17 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR| Canyon Loop Trail Improvement HMMP Services 4. FEE PROPOSAL As requested in the RFP, HELIX’s cost proposal/fee schedule will be submitted separately.