Department: Pollution Control Services
Department Head: Dr. Latrice Babin
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Investment Memo
Investment Memo Type: Preliminary Investment Memo
Project Name: Harris County Pollution Control Clean Lab
Project ID (if applicable): TBD
Vendor Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWDBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWDBE Current Achievement (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWDBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Managing Entity: Harris County Engineering Department
Incremental Authorization Requested: $400,200.00
Total Estimated Project Cost: $57,000,000 New Build or $21,130,000 Renovation
Request Summary:
title
Request for approval of a Preliminary Investment Memo for the Harris County Pollution Control Clean Lab project in an initial amount of $400,200 and request for approval of commercial paper funding for the Harris County Engineering Department in the initial amount of $350,000.
end
Project Description:
This project consists of identifying location that may be suitable for either new construction or renovation for the Harris County Pollution Control Services Department (PCS) Clean Laboratory. This will allow the construction of a state-of-the-art “Clean Lab” where the emerging toxin PFAS/ PFOS can be analyzed to measure the compliance of said contaminants against the (forthcoming) EPA requirement for future water quality permits. This would allow PCS to have a reliable facility as a Continuity of Operational Plan (COOP) in the event a category 3 hurricane or greater (our building is in an evacuation zone) or if a severe storm interrupts operations in the existing facility located in Pasadena, TX.
This project will be delivered in three phases. Phase 1 - Predesign Phase which includes site selection and programming of the facility. Phase 2 - Design Phase which will include property acquisition and all professional services necessary for creation of construction documents through bidding the project. Phase 3 - Construction Phase, which includes the full construction of the facility.
Project Scope:
The overall scope of this project includes the development of a state-of-the-art “Clean Lab” laboratory and supporting facilities to enable the analysis of PFAS/ PFOS and maintain 100% operational functionality during a major disaster event. This includes the addition of a natural gas-fueled backup power generator or other backup options and all necessary appurtenances to provide uninterrupted power to the laboratory suite, and the addition of a water tank and all necessary appurtenances to provide emergency use water to the laboratory suite. The building should house daily operating staff for the laboratory, laboratory support, offices, workspaces, administrative support, departmental support, and building support; parking for fleet vehicles and rapid air monitoring units (RAAMs); boats; and charging stations. Space is anticipated to be a minimum of 32,000 GSF.
Phase 1 (included in this investment memo) includes site selection, space planning and programming of the facility.
Phase 2 - Design and Phase 3 -Construction are depending on which site is identified in Phase 1. These two phases will be submitted in future investment memos once the Pre-Design Phase is completed and the location identified.
Justification:
This location will allow PCS to have a location where investigators and the emergency response team can better serve areas north and west in the county.
The new lab will provide the ability to analyze the ubiquitous endocrine disruptor PFAS/PFOS to gauge permit compliance.
Locating this facility will also provide a permanent COOP site for the department to allow operations if/when the Pasadena location is inaccessible due to weather events.
Alternatives and Engagement:
Alternative options are:
• Build a ground-up new facility per Harris County Pollution Control Services requirements.
• Purchase an existing building and property and renovate to fit Harris Pollution Control Services requirements.
Anticipated Project Expenditures and Timeline:
|
Scope of Work |
Estimated Cost |
Estimated Completion |
|
Site Selection (Funded through PCS’s Non-CIP Sources) |
$50,000 |
|
|
(Phase 1) Pre-Design Professional Services including programming, feasibility study and master planning and budget determination. |
$350,200.00 |
Q4 2024 |
|
(Phase 2) Scope of Phase 2 will be determined based off the location that is identified in Phase 1. If a suitable location can be identified. |
|
|
|
Total |
$400,200.00 |
- |
Alignment with Goal(s):
_ Justice and Safety
_ Economic Opportunity
_ Housing
_ Public Health
_ Transportation
_ Flooding
X_ Environment
X_ Governance and Customer Service
Previous Court Action:
|
Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
|
N/A |
N/A |
No Previous Court Action |
|
|
|
|
Address: TBD
Precinct(s): Countywide
|
Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
|
Service Name |
|
|
|
|
Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
|
|
Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
Recurring Expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
Existing Budget |
|
|
|
|
|
1000 - General Fund |
$ |
$50,000 |
$50,000 |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Total Current Budget |
$ |
$50,000 |
$50,000 |
$ |
|
Additional Budget Request |
|
|
Commercial Paper |
$ |
$350,000 |
$350,000 |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$350,000 |
$350,000 |
$ |
|
Total Funding Request |
$ |
$400,000 |
$400,000 |
$ |
|
Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
|
|
Current Position Count for Service |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Additional Positions Request |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total Personnel |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Anticipated Court Date: 4/23/2024
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date):
Legal funding compliance confirmed by: Paige Abernathy, Assistant County Attorney, 11/29/2023
Department Approval by: Kimesha Sonnier, 4/10/2024
OMB CIP Team Approval by: Wanwei Tang, 4/8/2024
Commercial Paper Request (For OMB use only):
Receiving Department: County Engineer
Project PeopleSoft ID: TBD
CP Series Description: CP Series Description: Commercial Paper Series D-2 can be used for (1) construction of public works, (2) the purchase of automobiles, equipment and machinery, including computers, materials and supplies for the operation of the County’s precincts and departments (3) Professional services, including services provided by engineers, architects, attorneys, auditors, financial advisors, and fiscal agents, in connection with the contractual obligations described in (1) and (2).
Commercial Paper is being requested for the Harris County Pollution Control Clean Lab and is expected to be repaid within the next three fiscal years either through bonds, budgetary means or pay-as-you-go sources.
OMB Financial Management contact: Amy Perez, Deputy Executive Director, Office of Management and Budget