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Department of Water Resources signals interim funding; committee weighs quarterly meetings and readies RFP work
Summary
City staff told the SPF steering committee that DWR has indicated possible interim funding of up to $200,000 per year for five years, but contract processing and DWR workload have delayed execution.
City staff told the Supplemental Benefit Fund steering committee on July 23 that the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has signaled willingness to provide interim funding to the SPF — potentially up to $200,000 per year for five years — but that contract processing and unrelated agency workload have delayed final execution.
"We've had some good dialogue with Department of Water Resources with regards to providing some additional funding for up to 5 years, $200,000 a year," said Brian, a city/committee staff member, during the meeting. He and other staff said an invasive mussel response at DWR has consumed staff time and slowed the contract process.
City staff described the next steps as completing the contract with DWR and, if timing permits, moving the committee from semiannual to quarterly meetings so the SPF can act more quickly when funds arrive. "It takes us a little while to get a contract out, approximately 6 months," a staff member said, explaining internal procurement timelines. Committee members discussed using the October meeting to prepare request-for-proposal (RFP) materials so grant solicitations can be issued quickly once funding is available.
Committee members asked staff to track the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) licensing process for Project No. 2100, which committee members and staff said is a gating factor for broader, longer-term revenue expectations. The city administrator reported correspondence from FERC stating the agency was finalizing Endangered Species Act concurrence and that the licensing decision is at a late stage, but no firm licensing date was provided.
Members agreed it would be prudent to draft RFP packaging in advance — a step that would shorten procurement once money is in-hand — and discussed calling a special meeting if the contract were executed before the next scheduled quarterly meeting.
The committee did not adopt new funding commitments at the July meeting; staff said they will return with contract updates and any calendar changes at upcoming meetings.
