Template revised January 10, 2019.
COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Item No.
8c
ACTION ITEM
Date of Meeting
April 28, 2026
DATE : April 3, 2026
TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director
FROM: Jana Braaten, Sr. Environmental Program Manager, Aviation Environment &
Sustainability
Sarah Cox, Director, Aviation Environment & Sustainability
SUBJECT: Procurement of contract for Hydraulic and Hydrology Support Services
Total requested project cost:
$ 3,500,000
ACTION REQUESTED
Request Commission authorization for the Executive Director to execute one indefinite delivery,
indefinite quantity (IDIQ) consulting agreement for hydraulic and hydrology support services in
support of the Port’s Aviation Divisions with a cumulative total amount not to exceed $3,500,000
over five years with two additional option years. No funding is associated with this request.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Aviation Environmental Department proposes to advertise and select one qualified firm to
provide hydraulic and hydrology services. This IDIQ would be used to ensure development and
redevelopment projects meet the conveyance, pumping, detention, and water quality treatment
requirements of National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits held by the
Port as well as other utilities. These services will help the Port meet our Century Agenda Strategy
4 – to be the greenest, and most energy efficient port in North America. Sanitary Sewer and
Potable Water are also covered under this IDIQ in support of the Facilities & Infrastructure
department as well.
This procurement will allow the Port to responsibly manage finances by providing a cost-effective
means to utilize professional services for tasks that have variable workloads, are often time
sensitive, and require specialized expertise that cannot be effectively provided by Port staff. The
contract administration will be performed by Aviation Environment and Sustainability. Funding
for Service Directives under this contract will either be from projects which have already been
authorized or from previously authorized division operating budgets. Consequently, there is no
funding request associated with this request.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8c Page 2 of 5
Meeting Date: April 28, 2026
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
JUSTIFICATION
The Port’s Building Department and NPDES permit require specific hydraulic and hydrology
submittals and analyses for the approval of permits for land-use changes (new construction or
re-development). Failure to comply with conditions of the NPDES permits will result in permit
violations and potential fines. Additionally, repeat violations can lead to more stringent permits
in the future that would increase the cost and resources to comply. Permit violations can
increase public scrutiny for Port operations and facilities, as well as decrease favorable relations
with our neighboring communities.
Services under this contract will support the Port’s Century Agenda Strategy 4 – to be the
greenest, and most energy efficient port in North America, and specifically Objective 14 – Meet
or exceed agency requirements for stormwater leaving Port-owned or operated facilities.
Ongoing hydraulic and hydrology analysis is essential to ensure that the Airport maintains the
goal of 100 percent treatment and flow control of stormwater runoff that leads to our local
salmon-bearing streams and ultimately Puget Sound, as well as ensuring dam and embankment
safety and stability, and erosion and sediment control.
Diversity in Contracting
The Diversity in Contracting Department has been contacted regarding this procurement, and an
aspirational goal of 7 percent has been established for women- and minority-owned business
enterprise.
DETAILS
This contract will provide specialized hydraulic and hydrology expertise to support on-going
utility management programs and future development projects. Work under this contract will
occur primarily at the Airport, or Port owned properties in King County. Individual service
directives consisting of a scope, fee agreement, and schedule will be negotiated and processed
before any work is performed. Service directives will span over the life of the contract, which is
expected to be five years with two additional option years.
Scope of Work
Typical services would include modelling, studies and investigations, design, permitting,
inspection, and design review for these types of project components:
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8c Page 3 of 5
Meeting Date: April 28, 2026
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
• Stormwater
• Industrial wastewater
• Sanitary sewer
• Potable water and fire protection
• Streams and open channels
• Dam and embankment safety and stability
• Erosion and sediment control
Cost Breakdown
Total Requested
From Capital Projects
$2,900,000
From Expense Budgets
$600,000
Total
$3,500,000
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED
Costs for Alternatives 1 and 2 were estimated using best professional judgment.
Alternative 1 – Prepare separate procurements each time hydraulic/hydrology services are
needed. Approximate 5 year cost including Port FTE (@ $100/hr each) is $3,695,000.
Cost Implications: $739,000 annually (plus approximately additional 0.25 FTE Port staff)
Pros:
(1) Smaller procurements spread out over many years instead of the one-time large
procurement effort.
(2) Ability to change consultants if need be.
Cons:
(1) Would require each new consultant to “start from scratch” for each small project. Piece-
meal smaller contracts (likely by different entities) would not provide the necessary
consistent and accurate tracking for ongoing changes to physical systems (e.g., drainage
system) and projects occurring over several years.
(2) Increased risk of model failures and inaccuracies. Many projects occur in the same
drainage basin and would not be able to establish/track baseline and ongoing changes.
(3) Would increase overall consultant fees by an approximate 10 to 20 percent, as well as
increase Port staff time to procure and manage multiple smaller contracts.
This is not the recommended alternative.
Alternative 2 – Modeling and analysis conducted by Port staff.
Cost Implications: $800,000 (consultant training and transition over first few years), in addition
to approximately 2.0 new Port FTE, as well as software procurement/upgrades/licensing not
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8c Page 4 of 5
Meeting Date: April 28, 2026
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
included in the cost implications. Approximate 5 year cost including Port FTE (@ $100/hr each) is
$2,880,000.
Pros:
(1) Contract administration would be eliminated once Port staff are hired and fully trained.
(2) Port teams would increase overall technical abilities.
Cons:
(1) Requires a long transition period for consultant to train new Port staff.
(2) Current staff does not have experience or sufficient expertise in this area; several years
of training would be required.
(3) Potential hires in this specialized field are in short supply in this region due to high
demand.
(4) Cannot ramp up or ramp down FTE staff to accommodate fluctuating capital program.
(5) Costly specialized software to procure and maintain.
This is not the recommended alternative.
Alternative 3 – Current proposal, IDIQ contract with work being done via Service Directives along
with existing Port staff management and interaction.
Cost Implications: $3,500,000
Pros:
(1) Proven successful past model to complete this work.
(2) Avoid the Port having to develop staff with highly specialized expertise.
(3) Third-party oversight (i.e., a “different set of eyes”)
Cons:
(1) Procurement effort.
(2) Port has to remain competitive with other consulting firm clients to retain their interest
in our projects.
This is the recommended alternative.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Funding for Service Directives under this contract will either be from projects which have already
been authorized or from previously authorized division operating budgets. Consequently, there
is no funding request associated with this request.
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND
The Airport has had a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit since 1980
that governs stormwater runoff, industrial wastewater, and sanitary discharges. Hydraulic and
hydrology support necessary to comply with the NPDES permit has been sourced via past
indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) consulting agreements. In 2021, an IDIQ contract
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8c Page 5 of 5
Meeting Date: April 28, 2026
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
was awarded for $750,000. The requested IDIQ will replace the hydraulic and hydrology scope of
the existing contract which is nearing contract capacity and end date.
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST
(1) Presentation
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS
None
