General Manager - San Simeon Community Services District *SUBMISSION DEADLINE UPDATED ON 06/16*

SERVICES NEEDED:

The San Simeon Community Services District (“District”) is seeking a qualified individual or firm to secure a part-time position as the District’s new General Manager. The District does not currently have employees; therefore the General Manager will be responsible for the supervision of District administrative services, facilities, finances, and general oversight for District contractors and professional services.  The general manager must be on-site at the District office, facilities, and community for one day a week (or portions of several days dependent upon necessary duties). The General Manager will be expected to attend and participate in board, budget, and water committee meetings. Budget and water committee meetings presently occur three to four times per year.  It is recognized that a change from current contractor services would require a transition period necessitating additional hours.  The duties of this position are being carried out by a contract which will expire on January 31, 2024.

Deadline for Submissions: 5:00 p.m. on August 3, 2023  5:00 P.M. ON JULY 14, 2023 

Submission Requirements: RFQs electronic submission to: ktiwana@sansimeoncsd.org; “General Manager RFQ” should be written in the subject line of the email or prospective consultants may send five (5) hardcopies to:

San Simeon Community Services District

Attention: Karina Tiwana, Acting Board Chair

111 Pico Avenue

San Simeon, CA 93452

Request for Information: Questions or inquiries related to the RFQ, RFQ procedures, or the requested services may be submitted to Nubia Goldstein, General Counsel, via email at: Nubia@whitebrennerllp.com by June 5, 2023, by 5:00 p.m. Any questions or inquiries received after this date will not receive a response.

DISTRICT OVERVIEW:

The District was formed in the 1960s and is located on the North Coast of San Luis Obispo County along State Highway 1 approximately halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The District provides water, wastewater, and other municipal services for a small community of approximately 445 people.  The current average annual water production is approximately 79-acre feet per year. The District holds a water right license issued by the State Water Board to extract 140-acre feet per year from Pico Creek wells subject to the conditions identified in the license. The District currently holds an annual budget of $1.1 million.

The District owns and has all applicable permits for a wastewater and treatment system consisting of less than five (5) miles of sewer lines, headworks, biological wastewater treatment, disinfection, effluent disposal via ocean outfall, and related equipment. Additionally, the District owns a water supply, storage, and distribution system consisting of two (2) wells, one (1) emergency well, one (1) storage tank and up to two-hundred and fifty (250) connections, less than five (5) miles of distribution lines, and related equipment. Lastly, the District maintains a local two-lane road of less than five (5) miles, a street lighting system with approximately fifty (50) active streetlights and a District office building.

The website provides comprehensive information on the District and includes information on projects. Board meeting agendas, packages, and recordings are available on the District’s website and provide an excellent reference for understanding district management, operations, finances, and present projects.

SCOPE OF WORK:

The General Manager is the highest level management appointee and serves at the pleasure of the San Simeon Board of Directors (“Board”), and will be responsible for procuring and managing the day-to-day contractual services for the District’s potable water, including filtration, and as needed reverse osmosis desalination including the associated water lines; wastewater and recycled water including associated sewer lines; street and road maintenance, right-of-way, and incidental work; street lighting; weed and rubbish abatement; and trash services (currently pending).

The General Manager will be expected to be on-site at least once a week; oversee after hours emergency calls for service and weekend/holiday coverage as needed; attend and participate in Board, budget, and water committee meetings; implement Board policies for the operation of the District; serve as a liaison with San Luis Obispo County, the California Coastal Commission, state parks and nearby communities and provide a variety of office management services.

Upon approval and direction from the Board, the General Manager may recruit District employees to fulfill operations and office management duties in lieu of contractual services. The General Manager will be responsible for managing all district staff which consists of recruiting, supervising, and disciplining.

1. DEFINED DUTIES OF GENERAL MANAGER

In accordance with Government Code section 61050 the District board of directors shall appoint a district officer as general manager. Pursuant to Government Code section 61051 the General Manager shall:

• Implement the policies established by the District board of directors for the operation of the District.
• Appoint, supervise, discipline and dismiss district employees, consistent with the employee relations system established by the board of directors.[1]
• Supervise District facilities and services.
• Supervise District finances.
• Be able to report to the District within one (1) hour of a reported emergency.

[1] The District does not have employees. In lieu of employees the General Manager shall be responsible for the supervision of the other contractor(s) and professional services provided to the District.

1. OPTIONAL OFFICE MANAGER/ADMINISTRATOR SERVICE REQUIREMENTS (applicant can submit a proposal to provide these services to the District as part of the statement of qualifications)

• Office manager/administration is expected to require approximately 32-40 hours per week.
• Staff and operate the District office, answer telephones, and respond to email and citizen requests.
• District office shall be staffed Monday-Thursday from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. with a half hour closed for lunch.
• Maintain District files and records including board ordinances, resolutions, and minutes.
• Process customer billing and collection including operation of the District’s billing software.
• Prepare and mail customer water and sewer bills.
• Deposit collected funds.
• Maintain records of deposits for auditing.
• Respond to customer inquiries.
• Process accounts receivable, accounts payable and aged receivables.
• Coordinate with District’s bookkeeper.
• Operate District’s accounting software/system.
• Setup and attend Board of Director and committee meetings.
• Prepare meeting agendas, board packets, and minutes.
• Respond to Public Records Act requests.
• Participate in annual budget preparations with the District Budget Committee.
• Oversee the maintenance of the District’s permits and licenses as required by regulatory agencies.
• Maintain the District website working with contracted webmaster.
• Prepare and distribute quarterly newsletter.
• Oversee and prepare grant applications on District’s behalf.

RFQ REQUIREMENTS:

All proposals shall include the following information. Missing, disorganized or incomplete proposals shall not be considered.

1. Cover letter: This shall identify the applicant’s name, address, telephone number, email address and a concise description of key provisions of the proposal, key personnel, price and any other relevant information the applicant believes would make them the best incumbent for the job.
2. Statement of Qualifications: This section shall thoroughly demonstrate how the applicant’s experience, training, and education relates to the scope of work by detailing similar services and/or projects. Additionally, the applicant should include the District’s desired knowledge, training and experience detailed below:

Desired knowledge, training, and experience:

• Community Service Districts’ general principles
• Government (city, county, state or special district) management
• Public administration
• Agenda and staff report preparation
• Water and wastewater operations
• Budgeting/financial management
• Government procurement services
• County operations and permitting
• California Coastal Commissions permitting
• State and Federal grant processes
• Development/building processes
• Ordinance enforcement
• Brown Act
• Public Records Act
• Project management

      3. Rates & Costs: This section should include:

1. A proposed approach, method or technique for providing District services.
2. Identification of key personnel that would be assigned to provide administrative services.
3. An itemized list of cost estimates for rates or costs, equipment costs, hourly/salary rates for all professional, technical, and support staff (including applicant), vendor/consultant preferences, and other proposed charges.

       4. Three professional references: References should include the name, title, organization, address and telephone number for an individual who can attest to the applicant’s work or project history.

SELECTION CRITERIA AND SUBMITTAL PROCESS:

1. Evaluations of each RFQ will be performed by a committee of individuals to be selected by the Board. Each submission will be ranked based on the selection committee’s evaluation of content and completeness and ability to meet the District’s objectives and provide best value. In the event of close ranking, a shortlist interview may be performed.  All selected prospective consultants will be contacted with specific information as to the location and time of interviews.
2. The District will identify the firm that best meets the needs of the District and enter contract negotiations with the highest ranked firm. Contracts must be executed within 30 days of offer (or other agreed to time frame, on a case-by-case basis) or negotiations will be terminated and the offer to contract will be rescinded.  Should the District fail to reach an agreement with the top ranked firm, the District may enter negotiations with the next highest rated firm and so on.
3. All requirements for the RFQ are to be submitted in a sealed envelope OR VIA ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION TO KTIWANA@SANSIMEONCSD.ORG WITH "GENERAL MANAGER RFQ" AS THE SUBJECT LINE to the District on or before 5:00 p.m. on August, 3, 2023, 5:00 P.M. ON JULY 14, 2023, with the fee estimate in a separate sealed envelope. Responses to this RFQ received after the stated deadline will not be accepted. The time of delivery shall be definitively determined by the time- stamping clock located in the San Simeon Community Services District.  It is the prospective consultant’s sole responsibility to see that its proposal is received in proper time, and prospective consultants assume all risks arising out of the means of delivery.  Any submittal received after the deadline will be returned unopened. 

   All responses must be completed as required, signed by an officer of the firm who is authorized to enter into a binding agreement with the District on behalf of the firm, and must be received at the place and time designated above.

   All applicants are encouraged to conduct a site visit to obtain all the information necessary to prepare an accurate bid.  The cost of visiting the site shall be borne by the applicant.  Requests to conduct a site visit can be made by emailing: ktiwana@sansimeoncsd.org. Site visits will be scheduled, and additional information will be provided thereafter based on the level of interest from prospective applicants.

REQUIRED INSURANCE:

Following award and execution of contract, the selected consultant shall have insurance carrier(s) issue direct to San Simeon Community Services District, certificates of insurance for the following coverage:

1. Worker’s compensation as prescribed by law.
2. Comprehensive general liability, including umbrella coverage of $2,000,000.
3. Vehicle liability coverage (for bodily injury and property damage, combined single limit) of not less than $1,000,000.
4. Employer’s liability (covers criminal or fraudulent acts of employees) of $2,000,000.

Service provider affirms the above referenced insurance shall be maintained in force throughout the term of the agreement. The insurance provided by the services provider will be primary and noncontributory. San Simeon, its Board of members, agents, and attorneys, must be named as additional insureds under the general liability, vehicle liability, and employer’s liability policies. Each insurance policy required by the professional services provider must contain a provision that no termination, cancellation, or change of coverage can be made without thirty (30) days’ notice to San Simeon Community Services District. Insurance required by agreement will be satisfactory only if issued by companies admitted to do business in California, rated B+ or better in the most recent edition of Best’s Key Rating Guide, and only if they are of financial category class VII or better.

GENERAL RFQ DISCLAIMERS:

1. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY CLAUSE. Prospective consultants shall ensure against discrimination in employment practices based on State and Federal laws and regulations. The District hereby ensures that minority business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit RFQs in response to this notice and will not be discriminated against based on requirements of State and Federal laws and regulations.
2. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT COMPLIANCE. Consultant shall certify that it has sought out and considered minority business enterprises for those portions of the work to be subcontracted and has fully documented such actions that said documentation is open to inspection, and that said action will remain in effect for the life of any contract awarded hereto.

   Furthermore, the prospective consultant shall certify that all steps will be taken to meet all equal employment opportunity requirements of the contract documents.  Consultant shall certify that in all previous contracts or subcontracts, all reports which may have been due under the requirements of any agency, State, or Federal equal employment opportunity orders have been satisfactorily filed, and that no such reports are currently outstanding.

3. LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES. All RFQs must be submitted, filed, made, and executed in accordance with State and Federal laws relating to RFQs for contracts of this nature whether the same or expressly referred to herein or not. Any company submitting a proposal will, by such action, thereby agree to each and all terms, conditions, provisions, and requirements set forth, contemplated, and referred to in the RFQ, and other contract documents, and to full compliance therewith.
4. NON-COLLUSION AFFIDAVIT. Proposer shall declare that the only person or parties interested in its proposal as principals are those named therein; that no officer, agent, or employee of the District is personally interested, directly or indirectly, in its proposal; and that its proposal is in all respects fair and without collusion or fraud.
5. RESERVATION OF RIGHTS. The District reserves, in its sole discretion, the right to reject any and all RFQ submissions, including the right to postpone or delay the RFQ process at any time, or to decline to award the agreement to any of the prospective consultants.  The District shall not be obligated to respond to any proposal submitted, nor be legally bound in any manner by the submission of the proposal.  Further, the District reserves the right to waive any immaterial irregularities in an RFQ. Finally, the District reserves the right to reject any RFQ that is determined to contain false, misleading, or materially incomplete information.
6. CONFLICT OF INTEREST. The District prohibits participation from any prospective consultant who has or will have a financial or business relationship with any District employee, Board Member, or Consultant or Professional services provider contracted with the District. Any prospective consultant selected will be required to adhere to the provisions set forth in Government Code section 1090 and comply with all applicable State and Federal laws pertaining to California’s Political Reform Act. If selected, the prospective consultant may be required to complete a Statement of Economic Interest (Form 700) in accord with the Fair Political Practices Commission.