REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: JENNIFER CLARK, AICP, Director
Planning and Development Department
BY: DAVID DENSLEY, Projects Administrator
Planning and Development Department
SUBJECT
Title
Approve a Consultant Services Agreement between the City of Fresno and Stantec Consulting Services Inc., a corporation based in Albany, New York, in an amount not to exceed $387,515 to provide professional environmental consultant services for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Assessment grant activities through October 31, 2029; and authorize the City Manager or designee to sign the agreement on behalf of the City.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends City Council approve the Consultant Services Agreement between the City of Fresno and Stantec Consulting Services Inc., a corporation based in Albany, New York, in the amount of $387,515 to provide professional environmental consultant services for EPA Brownfields Assessment grant activities. The contract term aligns with the grant period, ending October 31, 2029.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Brownfields Community-Wide Assessment Grant supports the evaluation of known and suspected contaminated properties and promotes citywide redevelopment, with a focus on the Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) area. This agreement enables the direct implementation of tools and services to address contamination, pollutants, and hazards in environmentally burdened neighborhoods and underutilized sites. Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. will provide a range of grant-supported services including grant management assistance, community engagement, Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs), planning, and reporting.
BACKGROUND
On October 31, 2024, the Planning and Development Department received approval to apply for a Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Assessment Grant totaling $500,000. The City Manager or designee was authorized to accept the funds and execute all related documents. Following a competitive selection process, the EPA awarded the City of Fresno the full grant amount on May 16, 2025. The funds were formally appropriated during the City’s June 2025 budget cycle, and a notice of award was issued on September 30, 2025.
The FY 2025 Community-Wide Assessment (CWA) Grant builds upon the City’s previous 2019 Coalition Assessment Grant, which ended on October 31, 2025. Both grants focus on the 4.9-square-mile Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) project area, encompassing Downtown, Chinatown, Southwest Fresno, and surrounding neighborhoods.
Planned professional environmental consultant services include:
• Community engagement support throughout the grant period.
• Up to 12 phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) and up to five Phase II ESAs/ hazardous materials surveys.
• Revise the Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) and development of up to five Sampling and Analysis Plans (SAPs).
• Preparation of up to four Analyses of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives (ABCAs) or site-specific cleanup plans.
• Delivery of up to two market feasibility studies or reuse plans, or one comprehensive study updating Fresno’s Brownfield inventory and connection to developers.
• Create one area-wide reuse plan for the target area, which includes the creation of an opportunity analysis for Downtown, Chinatown, and Southwest Fresno focused on a range of investment strategies (e.g., planned high-speed rail, assessed property values, vacancy rates, ownership patterns, historical significance, and transit access). Deliver this strategy and prioritization memo identifying catalyst sites.
• Expansion of the GIS-based Brownfield Enhanced Inventory by adding 2,500 historical features.
• Support for required grant reporting, compliance documentation, and administrative tasks.
The scope of work is designed to fully utilize the $387,515 agreement amount and deliver substantial redevelopment value over the contract term.
To identify a qualified consultant, the City issued a 30-day Request for Qualifications (RFQ) on July 9, 2025, in accordance with EPA guidance and federal procurement regulations. An addendum was posted on July 22, 2025, and six responses were received by the August 8, 2025, deadline. A Department review committee evaluated the proposals using competitive scoring criteria outlined in the RFQ and on September 1, 2025, the committee selected Stantec Consulting Services Inc. as the most qualified firm to perform the required grant-related activities.
Established in 1954, Stantec Consulting Services Inc. is a global leader in environmental consulting, engineering, and sustainable architecture. The firm employs more than 32,000 professionals across 450 locations, including 28 offices in California and a dedicated presence in Fresno. Stantec’s team includes over 830 in-house California specialists, 5,100 environmental experts, and more than 20 senior-level grant professionals. Their depth of expertise and long-standing partnership with the City of Fresno position them to effectively support the Brownfields program through integrated planning, property assessment, and community engagement strategies.
Upon City Council approval, the consultant and City staff will initiate grant activities in accordance with the EPA-approved work plan.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
By the definition provided in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378, this contract does not qualify as a “project” as defined by CEQA.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local Preference was not applicable because of Federal funding.
FISCAL IMPACT
No General Fund commitments are required for this contract, and this grant provides $70,000 of personnel salary savings across the grant’s four-year term.
Attachments:
EPA Cooperative Agreement- Grant Number BF-97T40901
Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. Professional Services Contract- US EPA Brownfields FY25 Community-Wide Assessment (CWA) Grant