230178-CONTRACT SONOMA TECHNOLOGY, .DOCX

CONTRACT AIR QUALITY SERVICES 230178-RFP
This contract is entered into this 6th day of December, 2023 by and between Maricopa County (“County”), 
a political subdivision of the State of Arizona, and Sonoma Technology, Inc, a California corporation 
(“Contractor”) for the purchase of professional technical assistance for a wide range of air quality 
management services.
1.0
CONTRACT TERM
1.1
This contract is for a term of one year, beginning on the 6th of December, 2023 and ending 
the 30th of November, 2024.
2.0
OPTION TO RENEW
The County may, at its option and with the concurrence of the Contractor, renew the term of this 
contract up to a maximum of four additional years, (or at the County’s sole discretion, extend the 
contract on a month-to-month basis for a maximum of six months after expiration). The Contractor 
shall be notified in writing by the Office of Procurement Services of the County’s intention to renew 
the contract term at least 60 calendar days prior to the expiration of the original contract term.
3.0
CONTRACT COMPLETION
In preparation for contract completion, the Contractor shall make all reasonable efforts for an 
orderly transition of its duties and responsibilities to another provider and/or to the County. This 
may include, but is not limited to, preparation of a transition plan and cooperation with the County 
or other providers in the transition. The transition includes the transfer of all records and other data 
in the possession, custody, or control of the Contractor that are required to be provided to the 
County either by the terms of this agreement or as a matter of law. The provisions of this clause 
shall survive the expiration or termination of this agreement.
4.0
PRICE ADJUSTMENTS
Any requests for reasonable price adjustments must be submitted 60 calendar days prior to 
contract expiration. Requests for adjustment in cost of labor and/or materials must be supported 
by appropriate documentation. The reasonableness of the request will be determined by comparing 
the request with the Consumer Price Index or by performing a market survey. If County agrees to 
the adjusted price terms, County shall issue written approval of the change and provide an updated 
version of the contract. The new change shall not be in effect until the date stipulated on the 
updated version of the contract.
5.0
PAYMENTS
5.1
As consideration for performance of the duties described herein, County shall pay 
Contractor the sum(s) stated in Exhibit A-1 – Pricing.
5.2
Payment shall be made upon the County’s receipt of a properly completed invoice.

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5.3
INVOICES
5.3.1
The Contractor shall submit one legible copy of their detailed invoice before 
payment(s) will be made. Incomplete invoices will not be processed. At a minimum, 
the invoice must provide the following information:
•
Company name, address, and contact information
•
County bill-to name and contact information
•
Contract serial number
•
County purchase order number
•
Project name and/or number
•
Invoice number and date
•
Payment terms
•
Date of service or delivery
•
Quantity 
•
Contract item number(s)
•
Arrival and completion time
•
Description of purchase (product or services)
•
Pricing per unit of purchase
•
Extended price
•
Freight (if applicable)
•
Mileage with rate (if applicable)
•
Total amount due
5.3.2
Labor, services, and maintenance must be billed as a separate line item.
5.3.3
Problems regarding billing or invoicing shall be directed to the department as listed 
on the purchase order.
5.3.4
Payment shall only be made to the Contractor by Accounts Payable through the 
Maricopa County Vendor Express Payment Program. This is an electronic funds 
transfer (EFT) process. After contract award, the Contractor shall complete the 
Vendor Registration Form accessible from the County Department of Finance 
Vendor 
Registration 
Web 
Site 
https://www.maricopa.gov/5169/Vendor-
Information.
5.3.5
Discounts offered in the contract shall be calculated based on the date a properly 
completed invoice is received by the County. 
5.3.6
EFT payments to the routing and account numbers designated by the Contractor 
shall include the details on the specific invoices that the payment covers. The 
Contractor is required to discuss remittance delivery capabilities with their 
designated financial institution for access to those details.
5.4
APPLICABLE TAXES
5.4.1
It is the responsibility of the Contractor to determine any and all applicable taxes 
and include those taxes in their proposal. The legal liability to remit the tax is on 
the entity conducting business in Arizona. Tax is not a determining factor in 
contract award.
5.4.2
The County will look at the price or offer submitted and will not deduct, add, or alter 
pricing based on speculation or application of any taxes, nor will the County 
provide Contractor any advice or guidance regarding taxes. If you have questions 
regarding your tax liability, seek advice from a tax professional prior to submitting 
your bid. You may also find information at https://www.azdor.gov/Business.aspx. 
Once your bid is submitted, the offer is valid for the time specified in this solicitation, 
regardless of mistake or omission of tax liability. If the County finds overpayment 
of a project due to tax consideration that was not due, the Contractor will be liable

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to the County for that amount, and by contracting with the County agrees to remit 
any overpayments back to the County for miscalculations on taxes included in a 
bid price.
5.4.3
Tax Indemnification: Contractor and all subcontractors shall pay all Federal, State, 
and local taxes applicable to their operation and any persons employed by the 
Contractor. Contractor shall, and require all subcontractors to, hold Maricopa 
County harmless from any responsibility for taxes, damages, and interest, if 
applicable, contributions required under Federal and/or State and local laws and 
regulations, and any other costs including: transaction privilege taxes, 
unemployment 
compensation 
insurance, 
Social 
Security, 
and 
workers’ 
compensation. Contractor may be required to establish, to the satisfaction of 
County, that any and all fees and taxes due to the City or the State of Arizona for 
any license or transaction privilege taxes, use taxes, or similar excise taxes are 
currently paid (except for matters under legal protest).
6.0
AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS
6.1
The provisions of this contract relating to payment for services shall become effective when 
funds assigned for the purpose of compensating the Contractor as herein provided are 
actually available to County for disbursement. The County shall be the sole judge and 
authority in determining the availability of funds under this contract. County shall keep the 
Contractor fully informed as to the availability of funds.
6.2
If any action is taken by, any State agency, Federal department, or any other agency or 
instrumentality to suspend, decrease, or terminate its fiscal obligations under, or in 
connection with, this contract, County may amend, suspend, decrease, or terminate its 
obligations under, or in connection with, this contract. In the event of termination, County 
shall be liable for payment only for services rendered prior to the effective date of the 
termination, provided that such services are performed in accordance with the provisions 
of this contract. County shall give written notice of the effective date of any suspension, 
amendment, or termination under this section, at least 10 days in advance.
7.0
STRATEGIC ALLIANCE for VOLUME EXPENDITURES (SAVE)
The County is a member of the SAVE cooperative purchasing group. SAVE includes the State of 
Arizona, many Phoenix metropolitan area municipalities, and many K-12 unified school districts. 
Under the SAVE Cooperative Purchasing Agreement, and with the concurrence of the successful 
respondent under this solicitation, a member of SAVE may access a contract resulting from a 
solicitation issued by the County. If contractor does not want to grant such access to a member of 
SAVE, state so in contractor’s bid. In the absence of a statement to the contrary, the County will 
assume that contractor does wish to grant access to any contract that may result from this bid. The 
County assumes no responsibility for any purchases by using entities.
8.0
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATIVE PURCHASING AGREEMENTS (ICPAs)
County currently holds ICPAs with numerous governmental entities. These agreements allow those 
entities, with the approval of the Contractor, to purchase their requirements under the terms and 
conditions of the County contract. It is the responsibility of the non-County government entity to 
perform its own due diligence on the acceptability of the contract under its applicable procurement 
rules, processes, and procedures. Certain governmental agencies may not require an ICPA and 
may utilize this contract if it meets their individual requirements. Other governmental agencies may 
enter into a separate Statement of Work with the Contractor to meet their own requirements. The 
County is not a party to any uses of this contract by other governmental entities.

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9.0
DUTIES
9.1
The Contractor shall perform all duties stated in Exhibit B – Scope of Work, or as otherwise 
directed in writing by the procurement officer.
10.0
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
10.1
INDEMNIFICATION
10.1.1
To the fullest extent permitted by law, and to the extent that claims, damages, 
losses, or expenses are not covered and paid by insurance purchased by the 
contractor, the contractor shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the County 
(as Owner), its agents, representatives, officers, directors, officials, and employees 
from and against all claims, damages, losses, and expenses (including, but not 
limited to attorneys' fees, court costs, expert witness fees, and the costs and 
attorneys' fees for appellate proceedings) arising out of, or alleged to have resulted 
from, the negligent acts, errors, omissions, or mistakes relating to the performance 
of this contract.
10.1.2
Contractor's duty to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the County, its agents, 
representatives, officers, directors, officials, and employees shall arise in 
connection with any claim, damage, loss, or expense that is attributable to bodily 
injury, sickness, disease, death, or injury to, impairment of, or destruction of 
tangible property, including loss of use resulting therefrom, caused by negligent 
acts, errors, omissions, or mistakes in the performance of this contract, but only to 
the extent caused by the negligent acts or omissions of the contractor, a 
subcontractor, anyone directly or indirectly employed by them, or anyone for 
whose acts they may be liable, regardless of whether or not such claim, damage, 
loss, or expense is caused in part by a party indemnified hereunder.
10.1.3
The amount and type of insurance coverage requirements set forth herein will in 
no way be construed as limiting the scope of the indemnity in this section.
10.1.4
The scope of this indemnification does not extend to the sole negligence of County.
10.2
INSURANCE
10.2.1
Contractor, at Contractor’s own expense, shall purchase and maintain, at a 
minimum, the herein stipulated insurance from a company or companies duly 
licensed by the State of Arizona and possessing an AM Best, Inc. category rating 
of B++. In lieu of State of Arizona licensing, the stipulated insurance may be 
purchased from a company or companies, which are authorized to do business in 
the State of Arizona, provided that said insurance companies meet the approval of 
County. The form of any insurance policies and forms must be acceptable to 
County.
10.2.2
All insurance required herein shall be maintained in full force and effect until all 
work or service required to be performed under the terms of the contract is 
satisfactorily completed and formally accepted. Failure to do so may, at the sole 
discretion of County, constitute a material breach of this contract.
10.2.3
In the event that the insurance required is written on a claims-made basis, 
Contractor warrants that any retroactive date under the policy shall precede the 
effective date of this contract and either continuous coverage will be maintained, 
or an extended discovery period will be exercised for a period of two years 
beginning at the time work under this contract is completed.
10.2.4
Contractor’s insurance shall be primary insurance as respects County, and any 
insurance or self-insurance maintained by County shall not contribute to it.

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10.2.5
Any failure to comply with the claim reporting provisions of the insurance policies 
or any breach of an insurance policy warranty shall not affect the County’s right to 
coverage afforded under the insurance policies.
10.2.6
The insurance policies may provide coverage that contains deductibles or self-
insured retentions. Such deductible and/or self-insured retentions shall not be 
applicable with respect to the coverage provided to County under such policies. 
Contractor shall be solely responsible for the deductible and/or self-insured 
retention and County, at its option, may require Contractor to secure payment of 
such deductibles or self-insured retentions by a surety bond or an irrevocable and 
unconditional letter of credit.
10.2.7
The insurance policies required by this contract, except Workers’ Compensation 
and Errors and Omissions, shall name County, its agents, representatives, officers, 
directors, officials, and employees as additional insureds.
10.2.8
The policies required hereunder, except Workers’ Compensation and Errors and 
Omissions, shall contain a waiver of transfer of rights of recovery (subrogation) 
against County, its agents, representatives, officers, directors, officials, and 
employees for any claims arising out of Contractor’s work or service.
10.2.9
If available, the insurance policies required by this contract may be combined with 
Commercial Umbrella Insurance policies to meet the minimum limit requirements. 
If a Commercial Umbrella insurance policy is utilized to meet insurance 
requirements, the Certificate of Insurance shall indicate which lines the 
Commercial Umbrella Insurance covers.
10.2.9.1
Commercial General Liability
Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance and, if necessary, 
Commercial Umbrella insurance with a limit of not less than $2,000,000 
for each occurrence, $4,000,000 Products/Completed Operations 
Aggregate, and $4,000,000 General Aggregate Limit. The policy shall 
include coverage for premises liability, bodily injury, broad form property 
damage, personal injury, products and completed operations and 
blanket contractual coverage, and shall not contain any provisions which 
would serve to limit third party action over claims. There shall be no 
endorsement or modifications of the CGL limiting the scope of coverage 
for liability arising from explosion, collapse, or underground property 
damage.
10.2.9.2
Errors and Omissions/Professional Liability Insurance
Errors and Omissions (Professional Liability) insurance which will insure 
and provide coverage for errors or omissions or professional liability of 
the contractor, with limits of no less than $2,000,000 for each claim.
10.2.9.3
Workers’ Compensation
10.2.9.3.1
Workers’ compensation insurance to cover obligations 
imposed by Federal and State statutes having jurisdiction of 
Contractor’s employees engaged in the performance of the 
work or services under this contract; and Employer’s 
Liability insurance of not less than $1,000,000 for each 
accident, $1,000,000 disease for each employee, and 
$1,000,000 disease policy limit.

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10.2.9.3.2
Contractor, its subcontractors, and sub-subcontractors 
waive all rights against this contract and its agents, officers, 
directors, and employees for recovery of damages to the 
extent these damages are covered by the workers’ 
compensation and Employer’s Liability or Commercial 
Umbrella Liability insurance obtained by Contractor, its 
subcontractors, and its sub-subcontractors pursuant to this 
contract.
10.2.10 Certificates of Insurance
10.2.10.1 Prior to contract award, Contractor shall furnish the County with valid 
and complete Certificates of Insurance, or formal endorsements as 
required by the contract in the form provided by the County, issued by 
Contractor’s insurer(s), as evidence that policies providing the required 
coverage, conditions and limits required by this contract are in full force 
and effect. Such certificates shall identify this contract number and title.
10.2.10.2 In the event any insurance policy(ies) required by this contract is (are) 
written on a claims-made basis, coverage shall extend for two years past 
completion and acceptance of Contractor’s work or services and as 
evidenced by annual certificates of insurance.
10.2.10.3 If a policy does expire during the life of the Contract, a renewal certificate 
must be sent to County 15 calendar days prior to the expiration date.
10.2.11 Cancellation and Expiration Notice
Applicable to all insurance policies required within the insurance requirements of 
this contract, Contractor’s insurance shall not be permitted to expire, be 
suspended, be canceled, or be materially changed for any reason without 30 days 
prior written notice to Maricopa County. Contractor must provide to Maricopa 
County, within two business days of receipt, if they receive notice of a policy that 
has been or will be suspended, canceled, materially changed for any reason, has 
expired, or will be expiring. Such notice shall be sent directly to Maricopa County 
Office of Procurement Services and shall be mailed, or hand delivered to 301 W. 
Jefferson St. Suite 700, Phoenix, AZ 85003, or emailed to the procurement officer 
noted in the solicitation.
10.3
FORCE MAJEURE
10.3.1
Neither party shall be liable for failure of performance, nor incur any liability to the 
other party on account of any loss or damage resulting from any delay or failure to 
perform all or any part of this contract, if such delay or failure is caused by events, 
occurrences, or causes beyond the reasonable control and without negligence of 
the parties. Such events, occurrences, or causes include, but are not limited to, 
acts of God/nature (including fire, flood, earthquake, storm, hurricane, or other 
natural disaster), war, invasion, act of foreign enemies, hostilities (whether war is 
declared or not), civil war, riots, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, military or 
usurped power or confiscation, terrorist activities, nationalization, government 
sanction, lockout, blockage, embargo, labor dispute, strike, and interruption or 
failure of electricity or telecommunication service, and pandemic.
10.3.2
Each party, as applicable, shall give the other party notice of its inability to perform 
and particulars in reasonable detail of the cause of the inability. Each party must 
use best efforts to remedy the situation and remove, as soon as practicable, the 
cause of its inability to perform or comply.

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10.3.3
The party asserting Force Majeure as a cause for non-performance shall have the 
burden of proving that reasonable steps were taken to minimize delay or damages 
caused by foreseeable events, that all non-excused obligations were substantially 
fulfilled, and that the other party was timely notified of the likelihood or actual 
occurrence which would justify such an assertion, so that other prudent 
precautions could be contemplated.
10.4
ORDERING AUTHORITY
Any request for purchase shall be accompanied by a valid purchase order issued by a 
County department or directed by a Certified Agency Procurement Aid (CAPA) with a 
purchase card for payment.
10.5
PROCUREMENT CARD ORDERING CAPABILITY
County may opt to use a procurement card (Visa or Master Card) to make payment for 
orders under this contract.
10.6
NO MINIMUM OR MAXIMUM PURCHASE OBLIGATION
This contract does not guarantee any minimum or maximum purchases will be made. 
Orders will only be placed under this contract when the County identifies a need and proper 
authorization and documentation have been approved.
10.7
PURCHASE ORDERS
10.7.1
County reserves the right to cancel purchase orders within a reasonable period of 
time after issuance. Should a purchase order be canceled, the County agrees to 
reimburse the Contractor for actual and documentable costs incurred by the 
Contractor in response to the purchase order. The County will not reimburse the 
Contractor for any costs incurred after receipt of County notice of cancellation, or 
for lost profits, or for shipment of product prior to issuance of purchase order.
10.7.2
Contractor agrees to accept verbal notification of cancellation of purchase orders 
from the County procurement officer with written notification to follow. Contractor 
specifically acknowledges to be bound by this cancellation policy.
10.8
BACKGROUND CHECK
Respondents may be required to pass multiple background checks (e.g., Sheriff’s Office, 
County Attorney's Office, Courts, as well as Maricopa County general government) to 
determine if the respondent is acceptable to do business with the County. This applies to, 
but is not limited to, the company, subcontractors, and employees, and the failure to pass 
these checks shall deem the respondent non-responsible.
10.9
SUSPENSION OF WORK
The procurement officer may order the Contractor, in writing, to suspend, delay, or interrupt 
all or any part of the work of this contract for the period of time that the procurement officer 
determines appropriate for the convenience of the County. No adjustment shall be made 
under this clause for any suspension, delay, or interruption to the extent that performance 
would have been so suspended, delayed, or interrupted by any other cause, including the 
fault or negligence of the Contractor. No request for adjustment under this clause shall be 
granted unless the claim, in an amount stated, is asserted in writing as soon as practicable 
after the termination of the suspension, delay, or interruption, but not later than the date of 
final payment under the contract.

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10.10
STOP WORK ORDER
10.10.1 The procurement officer may, at any time, by written order to the Contractor, 
require the Contractor to stop all, or any part, of the work called for by this contract 
for a period of 90 calendar days after the order is delivered to the Contractor, and 
for any further period to which the parties may agree. The order shall be specifically 
identified as a stop work order issued under this clause. Upon receipt of the order, 
the Contractor shall immediately comply with its terms and take all reasonable 
steps to minimize the incurrence of costs allocable to the work covered by the order 
during the period of work stoppage. Within a period of 90 calendar days after a 
stop work order is delivered to the Contractor, or within any extension of that period 
to which the parties shall have agreed, the procurement officer shall either:
10.10.1.1 cancel the stop work order; or 
10.10.1.2 terminate the work covered by the order as provided in the Termination 
for Default or the Termination for Convenience clause of this contract.
10.10.1.3 The procurement officer may make an equitable adjustment in the 
delivery schedule and/or contract price, and the contract shall be 
modified, in writing, accordingly, if the Contractor demonstrates that the 
stop work order resulted in an increase in costs to the Contractor
10.11
TERMINATION FOR CONVENIENCE
Maricopa County may terminate the resultant contract for convenience by providing 60 
calendar days advance notice to the Contractor.
10.12
TERMINATION FOR DEFAULT
10.12.1 The County may, by written Notice of Default to the Contractor, terminate this 
contract in whole or in part if the Contractor fails to:
10.12.1.1 deliver the supplies or to perform the services within the time specified 
in this contract or any extension; 
10.12.1.2 make progress, so as to endanger performance of this contract; or
10.12.1.3 perform any of the other provisions of this contract.
10.12.2 The County’s right to terminate this contract under these subparagraphs may be 
exercised if the Contractor does not cure such failure within 10 business days (or 
more if authorized in writing by the County) after receipt of a Notice to Cure from 
the procurement officer specifying the failure.
10.13
PERFORMANCE
It shall be the Contractor’s responsibility to meet the proposed performance requirements. 
Maricopa County reserves the right to obtain services on the open market in the event the 
Contractor fails to perform, and any price differential will be charged against the Contractor.
10.14
CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT
10.14.1 Contractor shall endeavor to maintain the personnel proposed in their proposal 
throughout the performance of this contract.
10.14.2 If Contractor personnel’s employment status changes, Contractor shall provide 
County a list of proposed replacements with equivalent or greater experience.

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10.14.3 Under no circumstances shall the implementation schedule to be impacted by a 
personnel change on the part of the Contractor.
10.14.4 Contractor shall not reassign any key personnel identified in their proposal without 
the express consent of the County.
10.14.5 County reserves the right to immediately remove from its premises any Contractor 
personnel it determines to be a risk to County operations.
10.14.6 County reserves the right to request the replacement of any Contractor personnel 
at any time, for any reason.
10.15
INSPECTION OF SERVICES
10.15.1 The Contractor shall provide and maintain an inspection system acceptable to 
County covering the services under this contract. Complete records of all 
inspection work performed by the Contractor shall be maintained and made 
available to County during contract performance and for as long afterwards as the 
contract requires.
10.15.2 County has the right to inspect and test all services called for by the contract, to 
the extent practicable at all times and places during the term of the contract. 
County shall perform inspections and tests in a manner that will not unduly delay 
the work.
10.15.3 If any of the services do not conform to contract requirements, County may require 
the Contractor to perform the services again in conformity with contract 
requirements, at no cost to the County. When the defects in services cannot be 
corrected by re-performance, County may:
10.15.3.1 require the Contractor to take necessary action to ensure that future 
performance conforms to contract requirements; and
10.15.3.2 reduce the contract price to reflect the reduced value of the services 
performed.
10.15.4 If the Contractor fails to promptly perform the services again or to take the 
necessary action to ensure future performance in conformity with contract 
requirements, County may:
10.15.4.1 by contract or otherwise, perform the services and charge to the 
Contractor, through direct billing or through payment reduction, any cost 
incurred by County that is directly related to the performance of such 
service; or
10.15.4.2 terminate the contract for default.
10.16
USAGE REPORT
The Contractor shall furnish the County a usage report, upon request, delineating the 
acquisition activity governed by the contract. The format of the report shall be approved by 
the County and shall disclose the quantity and dollar value of each contract item by 
individual unit of measure.
10.17
STATUTORY RIGHT OF CANCELLATION FOR CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Notice is given that, pursuant to A.R.S. § 38-511, the County may cancel any contract 
without penalty or further obligation within three years after execution of the contract, if any 
person significantly involved in initiating, negotiating, securing, drafting, or creating the

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contract on behalf of the County is at any time, while the contract or any extension of the 
contract is in effect, an employee or agent of any other party to the contract in any capacity 
or consultant to any other party of the contract with respect to the subject matter of the 
contract. Additionally, pursuant to A.R.S. § 38-511, the County may recoup any fee or 
commission paid or due to any person significantly involved in initiating, negotiating, 
securing, drafting, or creating the contract on behalf of the County from any other party to 
the contract arising as the result of the contract.
10.18
OFFSET FOR DAMAGES
In addition to all other remedies at Law or Equity, the County may offset from any money 
due to the Contractor any amounts Contractor owes to the County for damages resulting 
from breach or deficiencies in performance of the contract.
10.19
SUBCONTRACTING
10.19.1 The Contractor may not assign to another Contractor or subcontract to another 
party for performance of the terms and conditions hereof without the written 
consent of the County. All correspondence authorizing subcontracting must 
reference the bid serial number and identify the job or project.
10.19.2 The subcontractor’s rate for the job shall not exceed that of the prime Contractor’s 
rate, as bid in the pricing section, unless the prime Contractor is willing to absorb 
any higher rates. The subcontractor’s invoice shall be invoiced directly to the prime 
Contractor, who in turn shall pass-through the costs to the County, without mark-
up. A copy of the subcontractor’s invoice must accompany the prime Contractor’s 
invoice.
10.20
AMENDMENTS
All amendments to this contract shall be in writing and approved/signed by both parties. 
Maricopa County Office of Procurement Services shall be responsible for approving all 
amendments for Maricopa County.
10.21
ADDITIONS/DELETIONS OF REQUIREMENTS
The County reserves the right to add and/or delete materials and services to a contract. If 
a service requirement is deleted, payment to the Contractor will be reduced proportionately 
to the amount of service reduced in accordance with the bid price. If additional materials 
or services are required from a contract, prices for such additions will be negotiated 
between the Contractor and the County.
10.22
RIGHTS IN DATA
10.22.1 The County shall have the use of data and reports resulting from a contract without 
additional cost or other restriction except as may be established by law or 
applicable regulation. Each party shall supply to the other party, upon request, any 
available information that is relevant to a contract and to the performance 
thereunder.
10.22.2 Data, records, reports, and all other information generated for the County by a third 
party as the result of a contract are the property of the County and shall be provided 
in a format designated by the County or shall be and remain accessible to the 
County into perpetuity.

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10.23
ACCESS TO AND RETENTION OF RECORDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUDIT AND/OR 
OTHER REVIEW
10.23.1 In accordance with Section MC1-372 of the Maricopa County Procurement Code, 
the Contractor agrees to retain (physical or digital copies of) all books, records, 
accounts, statements, reports, files, and other records and back-up documentation 
relevant to this contract for six years after final payment or until after the resolution 
of any audit questions, which could be more than six years, whichever is longest. 
The County, Federal or State auditors and any other persons duly authorized by 
the department shall have full access to and the right to examine, copy, and make 
use of, any and all said materials.
10.23.2 If the Contractor’s books, records, accounts, statements, reports, files, and other 
records and back-up documentation relevant to this contract are not sufficient to 
support and document that requested services were provided, the Contractor shall 
reimburse Maricopa County for the services not so adequately supported and 
documented.
10.24
AUDIT DISALLOWANCES
If at any time it is determined by the County that a cost for which payment has been made 
is a disallowed cost, the County shall notify the Contractor in writing of the disallowance. 
The course of action to address the disallowance shall be at sole discretion of the County, 
and may include either an adjustment to future invoices, request for credit, request for a 
check, or a deduction from current invoices submitted by the Contractor equal to the 
amount of the disallowance, or to require reimbursement forthwith of the disallowed amount 
by the Contractor by issuing a check payable to Maricopa County.
10.25
STRICT COMPLIANCE
Acceptance by County of a performance that is not in strict compliance with the terms of 
the contract shall not be deemed to be a waiver of strict compliance with respect to all other 
terms of the contract.
10.26
VALIDITY
The invalidity, in whole or in part, of any provision of this contract shall not void or affect 
the validity of any other provision of the contract.
10.27
SEVERABILITY
The removal, in whole or in part, of any provision of this contract shall not void or affect the 
validity of any other provision of this contract.
10.28
RELATIONSHIPS
10.28.1 In the performance of the services described herein, the Contractor shall act solely 
as an independent Contractor, and nothing herein or implied herein shall at any 
time be construed as to create the relationship of employer and employee, co-
employee, partnership, principal and agent, or joint venture between the County 
and the Contractor.
10.28.2 The County reserves the right of final approval on proposed staff. Also, upon 
request by the County, the Contractor will be required to remove any employees 
working on County projects and substitute personnel based on the discretion of 
the County within two business days, unless previously approved by the County.

SERIAL 230178-RFP
10.29
NON-DISCRIMINATION
Contractor agrees to comply with all provisions and requirements of Arizona Executive 
Order 2009-09, including flow down of all provisions and requirements to any 
subcontractors. Executive Order 2009-09 supersedes Executive Order 99-4 and amends 
Executive Order 75-5 and is hereby incorporated into this contract as if set forth in full 
herein. During the performance of this contract, Contractor shall not discriminate against 
any employee, client, or any other individual in any way because of that person’s age, race, 
creed, color, religion, sex, disability, or national origin. (Arizona Executive Order 2009-09 
can be viewed at https://apps.azsos.gov/public_services/register/2009/46/governor.pdf).
10.30
WRITTEN CERTIFICATION PURSUANT to A.R.S. § 35-393.01
If vendor engages in for-profit activity and has 10 or more employees, and if this agreement 
has a value of $100,000 or more, vendor certifies it is not currently engaged in, and agrees 
for the duration of this agreement to not engage in, a boycott of goods or services from 
Israel. This certification does not apply to a boycott prohibited by 50 U.S.C. § 4842 or a 
regulation issued pursuant to 50 U.S.C. § 4842.
10.31
CERTIFICATION REGARDING DEBARMENT AND SUSPENSION
10.31.1 The undersigned (authorized official signing on behalf of the Contractor) certifies 
to the best of his or her knowledge and belief that the Contractor, its current 
officers, and directors:
10.31.1.1 are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, 
declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from being awarded any 
contract or grant by any United States department or agency or any 
state, or local jurisdiction;
10.31.1.2 have not within a three-year period preceding this contract:
10.31.1.2.1 been convicted of fraud or any criminal offense in 
connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or as the 
result of performing a government entity (Federal, State or 
local) transaction or contract; or
10.31.1.2.2 been convicted of violation of any Federal or State antitrust 
statutes or conviction for embezzlement, theft, forgery, 
bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false 
statements, or receiving stolen property regarding a 
government entity transaction or contract;
10.31.1.3 are not presently indicted or criminally charged by a government entity 
(Federal, State or local) with commission of any criminal offenses in 
connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or as the result of 
performing a government entity public (Federal, State or local) 
transaction or contract;
10.31.1.4 are not presently facing any civil charges from any governmental entity 
regarding obtaining, attempting to obtain, or from performing any 
governmental entity contract or other transaction; and 
10.31.1.5 have not within a three-year period preceding this contract had any 
public transaction (Federal, State or local) terminated for cause or 
default.

SERIAL 230178-RFP
10.31.2 If any of the above circumstances described in the paragraph are applicable to the 
entity submitting a bid for this requirement, include with your bid an explanation of 
the matter including any final resolution.
10.31.3 The Contractor shall include, without modification, this clause in all lower tier 
covered transactions (i.e., transactions with subcontractors or sub-subcontractors) 
and in all solicitations for lower tier covered transactions related to this contract. If 
this clause is applicable to a subcontractor or sub-subcontractor, the Contractor 
shall include the information required by this clause with their bid.
10.32
VERIFICATION REGARDING COMPLIANCE WITH A.R.S. § 41-4401 AND FEDERAL 
IMMIGRATION LAWS AND REGULATIONS
10.32.1 By entering into the contract, the Contractor warrants compliance with the 
Immigration and Nationality Act (INA using E-Verify) and all other Federal 
immigration laws and regulations related to the immigration status of its employees 
and A.R.S. § 23-214(A). The Contractor shall obtain statements from its 
subcontractors certifying compliance and shall furnish the statements to the 
procurement officer upon request. These warranties shall remain in effect through 
the term of the contract. The Contractor and its subcontractors shall also maintain 
Employment Eligibility Verification forms (I-9) as required by the Immigration Reform 
and Control Act of 1986, as amended from time to time, for all employees performing 
work under the contract and verify employee compliance using the E-Verify system 
and shall keep a record of the verification for the duration of the employee’s 
employment or at least three years, whichever is longer. I-9 forms are available for 
download at www.uscis.gov.
10.32.2 The County retains the legal right to inspect documents of Contractor and 
subcontractor employees performing work under this contract to verify compliance 
with paragraph 10.32.1 of this section. Contractor and subcontractor shall be given 
reasonable notice of the County’s intent to inspect and shall make the documents 
available at the time and date specified. Should the County suspect or find that the 
Contractor or any of its subcontractors are not in compliance, the County will 
consider this a material breach of the contract and may pursue any and all remedies 
allowed by law, including, but not limited to: suspension of work, termination of the 
contract for default, and suspension and/or debarment of the Contractor. All costs 
necessary to verify compliance are the responsibility of the Contractor.
10.33
CONTRACTOR LICENSE REQUIREMENT
10.33.1 The Contractor shall procure all permits, insurance, and licenses, and pay the 
charges and fees necessary and incidental to the lawful conduct of his/her 
business, and as necessary complete any requirements, by any and all 
governmental or non-governmental entities as mandated to maintain compliance 
with and remain in good standing. The Contractor shall keep fully informed of 
existing and future trade or industry requirements, and Federal, State, and local 
laws, ordinances, and regulations which in any manner affect the fulfillment of a 
contract and shall comply with the same. Contractor shall immediately notify both 
Office of Procurement Services and the department of any and all changes 
concerning permits, insurance, or licenses.
10.34
INFLUENCE
10.34.1 As prescribed in MC1-1203 of the Maricopa County Procurement Code, any effort 
to influence an employee or agent to breach the Maricopa County Ethical Code of 
Conduct or any ethical conduct, may be grounds for disbarment or suspension 
under MC1-902.

SERIAL 230178-RFP
10.34.2 An attempt to influence includes, but is not limited to:
10.34.2.1 A person offering or providing a gratuity, gift, tip, present, donation, 
money, entertainment or educational passes or tickets, or any type of 
valuable contribution or subsidy that is offered or given with the intent to 
influence a decision, obtain a contract, garner favorable treatment, or 
gain favorable consideration of any kind.
10.34.3 If a person attempts to influence any employee or agent of Maricopa County, the 
chief procurement officer, or his designee, reserves the right to seek any remedy 
provided by the Maricopa County Procurement Code, any remedy in equity or in 
the law, or any remedy provided by this contract. 
10.34.4 ABSOLUTELY NO CONTACT BETWEEN THE RESPONDENT AND ANY 
COUNTY PERSONNEL, OTHER THAN THE OFFICE OF PROCUREMENT 
SERVICES, IS ALLOWED DURING THE SOLICITATION PROCESS UNLESS 
THE COMMUNICATION IS IN REGARD TO PRE-EXISTING BUSINESS WITH 
THE COUNTY. ANY COMMUNICATIONS REGARDING THE SOLICITATION, 
ITS PARTICIPANTS, OR ANY DOCUMENTATION PRIOR TO THE CONTRACT 
AWARD MAY BE GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL OF THE RESPONDENT FROM 
THE EVALUATION PROCESS.
10.35
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
10.35.1 Any information obtained in the course of performing this contract may include 
information that is proprietary or confidential to the County. This provision 
establishes the Contractor’s obligation regarding such information.
10.35.2 The Contractor shall establish and maintain procedures and controls that are 
adequate to assure that no information contained in its records and/or obtained 
from the County or from others in carrying out its functions (services) under the 
contract shall be used by or disclosed by it, its agents, officers, or employees, 
except as required to efficiently perform duties under the contract. The Contractor’s 
procedures and controls, at a minimum, must be the same procedures and controls 
it uses to protect its own proprietary or confidential information. If, at any time 
during the duration of the contract, the County determines that the procedures and 
controls in place are not adequate, the Contractor shall institute any new and/or 
additional measures requested by the County within 15 business days of the 
written request to do so.
10.35.3 Any requests to the Contractor for County proprietary or confidential information 
shall be referred to the County for review and approval, prior to any dissemination.
10.36
PUBLIC RECORDS
Under Arizona law, all offers submitted and opened are public records and must be 
retained by the County at the Maricopa County Office of Procurement Services. Offers shall 
be open to public inspection and copying after contract award and execution, except for 
such offers or sections thereof determined to contain proprietary or confidential information 
by the Office of Procurement Services. If an offeror believes that information in its offer or 
any resulting contract should not be released in response to a public record request, under 
Arizona law, the offeror shall indicate the specific information deemed confidential or 
proprietary and submit a statement with its offer detailing the reasons that the information 
should not be disclosed. Such reasons shall include the specific harm or prejudice which 
may arise from disclosure. The records manager of the Office of Procurement Services 
shall determine whether the identified information is confidential pursuant to the Maricopa 
County Procurement Code.

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10.37
INTEGRATION
This contract represents the entire and integrated agreement between the parties and 
supersedes 
all 
prior 
negotiations, 
proposals, 
communications, 
understandings, 
representations, or agreements, whether oral or written, expressed, or implied.
10.38
UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS
By entering into this contract, the Contractor agrees to comply with all applicable provisions 
of 
Title 
2, 
Subtitle 
A, 
Chapter 
II, 
Part 
200—UNIFORM 
ADMINISTRATIVE 
REQUIREMENTS, COST PRINCIPLES, AND AUDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR FEDERAL 
AWARDS contained in Title 2 C.F.R. § 200 et seq.
10.39
GOVERNING LAW
This contract shall be governed by the laws of the State of Arizona. Venue for any actions 
or lawsuits involving this contract will be in Maricopa County Superior Court, Phoenix, 
Arizona.
10.40
FORCED LABOR
10.40.1 By submitting a bid for this solicitation and/or entering into a contract as a result of 
this solicitation, contractor agrees to comply with all applicable portions of Arizona 
Revised Statutes Section 35-394. Contracting; procurement; prohibition; written 
certification; remedy; termination; exception; definitions.
10.40.2 Contractor certifies that it does not currently, and agrees for the duration of the 
contract, that it will not use: 
10.40.2.1 The forced labor of ethnic Uyghurs in the People’s Republic of China.
10.40.2.2 Any goods or services produced by the forced labor of ethnic Uyghurs 
in the People’s Republic of China. 
10.40.2.3 Any contractors, subcontractors or suppliers that use the forced labor or 
any good or services produced by the forced labor of ethnic Uyghurs in 
the People’s Republic of China.
10.40.3 If contractor becomes aware during the term of the agreement that contractor is 
not in compliance with this paragraph, the contractor shall notify the County within 
five business days after becoming aware of the noncompliance. If the contractor 
fails to provide a written certification to the County that the contractor has remedied 
the noncompliance within 180 days after notifying the County of its noncompliance, 
then the agreement terminates, except that if the agreement termination date 
occurs before the end the 180-day period, the agreement terminates on the 
agreement termination date.
10.41
PRICES
Contractor warrants that prices extended to County under this contract are no higher than 
those paid by any other customer for these or similar services.
10.42
ORDER OF PRECEDENCE
In the event of a conflict in the provisions of this contract and Contractor’s license 
agreement, if applicable, the terms of this contract shall prevail.

SERIAL 230178-RFP
10.43
UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER (UEI) AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT 
REGISTRATION
All 
contractors 
that 
receive 
funding 
must 
have 
a 
UEI 
number 
through 
https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration. Contractor must also remain current with the 
System for Award Management www.sam.gov throughout the term of the contract.
10.44
RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES
The contractor agrees that costs, planned or claimed, including costs incurred, shall not 
include any expense for any religious activity.
10.45
POLITICAL ACTIVITY PROHIBITED
None of the funds, materials, property, or services contributed by the County or the 
contractor under the agreement shall be used in the performance of this agreement for any 
partisan political activity, or to further the election or defeat of any candidate for public 
office.
10.46
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
10.46.1 The contractor shall not discriminate against any employee or applicant for 
employment because of race, age, disability, color, religion, sex, or national origin. 
The contractor shall take affirmative action to ensure applicants are employed and 
that employees are treated during employment without regard to their race, age, 
disability, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Such action shall include but is not 
limited to the following: employment, upgrading, demotion or transfer, recruitment, 
or recruitment advertising, lay-off or termination, rates of pay or other forms of 
compensation, and selection for training, including apprenticeship.
10.46.2 Contractor shall comply with the following provisions:
10.46.2.1 Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (42 U.S.C. 
§§ 2000a, et seq.);
10.46.2.2 The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. §§ 701, et seq.);
10.46.2.3 The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended 
(29U.S.C. §§ 621, et seq.);
10.46.2.4 The Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. §§ 12101, et 
seq.); and Arizona Executive Order 2009-09, as amended, et seq. which 
mandates that all persons shall have equal access to employment 
opportunities.
10.46.2.5 Contractor understands that the United States has the right to seek 
judicial enforcement of this assurance.
10.47
CERTIFICATION REGARDING LOBBYING
10.47.1 Contractor certifies, to the best of their knowledge and belief, that:
10.47.1.1 No federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by or on 
behalf of the contractor, to any person for influencing or attempting to 
influence an officer or employee of any agency. This applies to a 
Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an 
employee of a Member of Congress in connection with the awarding of 
any federal contract, the making of any federal grant. Including the 
making of any federal, loan the entering into of any cooperative

SERIAL 230178-RFP
agreement, and the extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or 
modification of any federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative 
agreement.
10.47.2 If any funds other than federal appropriated funds, have been paid or will be paid 
to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of 
any agency, member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an 
employee of a member of Congress in connection with this federal contract, grant, 
loan, or cooperative agreement, the undersigned shall complete and submit 
Standard Form-LLL, “Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying,” in accordance with its 
instructions.
10.47.3 Contractor shall include Lobbying Certification language in the award documents 
for all subcontractors (including sub-grants, and contract under grants, loans, and 
cooperative agreements) and that all sub-recipients shall certify and disclose 
accordingly.
10.47.3.1 The Lobbying Certification is a material representation of fact upon 
which reliance was placed when this transaction is made or entered into. 
Submission of this certification is prerequisite for making or entering into 
this transaction imposed by section 1352, Title 31, U.S. Code. Any 
successful proposer(s) who fail to file the required certification shall be 
subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000.00 and not more than 
$100,000.00 for each such failure.
10.48
CLEAN AIR ACT & CLEAN WATER ACT
Contractor must comply with all applicable standards, orders, or requirements issued under 
section 306 of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 1857(h), section 508 of the Clean Water Act 
(33 U.S.C. 1368) Executive Order 11738, and Environmental Protection Agency 
regulations (40 CFR part 15).
10.49
ENERGY POLICY AND CONSERVATION ACT
Contractor must adhere to the standards and policies relating to energy efficiency, which 
are contained in the State energy conservation plan issued in compliance with the Energy 
Policy and Conservation Act (Pub. L. 94-163, 89 Stat.871).
10.50
INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS
10.50.1 The following are to be attached to and made part of this Contract:
10.50.1.1 Exhibit A – Vendor Information
10.50.1.2 Exhibit A-1 - Pricing
10.50.1.3 Exhibit B – Scope of Work
10.50.1.4 Exhibit C – Office of Procurement Services Contractor Travel and Per 
Diem Policy
10.51
NOTICES
All notices given pursuant to the terms of this contract shall be addressed to:
For County:
Maricopa County
Office of Procurement Services

SERIAL 230178-RFP
301 W. Jefferson St. Suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1647
For Contractor:
Sonoma Technology, Inc
10.52
INQUIRIES
10.52.1 Inquiries concerning information herein must be submitted prior to the question 
deadline date/time posted in the e-procurement platform, Periscope S2G, using 
the link in the “Q&A” tab.
10.52.2 Administrative telephone/email inquiries shall be addressed to:
MICHAEL GALE, PROCUREMENT OFFICER
TELEPHONE: (602) 506-4866 
Michael.Gale@maricopa.gov
10.52.3 Inquiries may be submitted by telephone but must be followed up in writing. No 
oral communication is binding on Maricopa County.

SERIAL 230178-RFP
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this contract is executed on the date set forth above.
CONTRACTOR
AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE
PRINTED NAME AND TITLE
ADDRESS
DATE
MARICOPA COUNTY
CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
DATE
ATTESTED:
CLERK OF THE BOARD
DATE
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
DEPUTY COUNTY ATTORNEY
DATE

SERIAL 230178-RFP
Exhibit A - Vendor Information
COMPANY NAME:
Sonoma Technology, Inc.
DOING BUSINESS AS (dba):
 
MAILING ADDRESS:
1450 North McDowell Blvd., Suite 200, Petaluma, CA, 
94954
REMIT TO ADDRESS:
1450 North McDowell Blvd., Suite 200, Petaluma, CA, 
94954
TELEPHONE NUMBER:
707-665-9900
FAX NUMBER:
707-665-9800
WWW ADDRESS:
www.sonomatech.com
REPRESENTATIVE NAME:
Steve Brown
REPRESENTATIVE TELEPHONE NUMBER:
707-665-9900
REPRESENTATIVE EMAIL ADDRESS
steveb@sonomatech.com
 
YES
NO
REBATE
WILL ALLOW OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES TO PURCHASE 
FROM THIS CONTRACT: 
WILL ACCEPT PROCUREMENT CARD FOR PAYMENT:
 NET 30 DAYS

SERIAL 230178-RFP
Exhibit A-1 – Pricing
1.0    PRICING:
Steven G. Brown
 $416.87 
PER HOUR
1.4
Air Quality Technical Research, Training, and Consultation
1.4.1
Hilary R. Hafner
 $416.87 
PER HOUR
1.4.2
Ken J. Craig
 $326.79 
PER HOUR
1.4.3
Garnet B. Erdakos
 $256.35 
PER HOUR
1.4.4
Abhilash Vijayan
 $378.76 
PER HOUR
1.4.5
Andrea F. Anderson
 $199.77 
PER HOUR
1.6
Regulatory Planning: Analysis
1.6.1
Abhilash Vijayan
 $378.76 
PER HOUR
1.6.2
Crystal D. McClure
 $209.00 
PER HOUR
1.6.3
Justin G. Coughlin
 $223.05 
PER HOUR
1.6.4
Anondo D. Mukherjee
 $189.37 
PER HOUR
1.7
Air Quality Modeling
1.7.1
Ken J. Craig
 $326.79 
PER HOUR
1.7.2
Garnet B. Erdakos
 $256.35 
PER HOUR
1.7.3
Lynn M. Alley
 $232.11 
PER HOUR
1.7.4
Isaac K. Afreh
 $157.04 
PER HOUR
1.8
Air Monitoring Technical Assistance
1.8.1
Ryan C. Moffet
 $267.90 
PER HOUR
1.8.2
Josette E. Marrero
 $256.35 
PER HOUR
1.8.3
Taylor J. Jones
 $157.04 
PER HOUR
1.8.4
Arthur (Sky) Steiner
 $157.04 
PER HOUR
1.8.5
Yachun (Anna) Tai
 $182.44 
PER HOUR

EXHIBIT B – SCOPE OF WORK
2.1
Organizational Overview
Since our founding in 1982, Sonoma Technology has provided innovative, science-based air quality 
solutions to clients across the United States and around the world. Our expertise includes air quality 
dispersion modeling, air quality monitoring and field sampling (criteria pollutants, particulate matter, 
hazardous pollutants, ozone precursors, meteorology, visibility and optical), air quality and visibility 
monitoring network data management, and statistical analysis of data.
Sonoma Technology supports programs and projects for a wide range of markets and clients, including 
federal, state, and local government agencies; private industry; law firms; universities; and tribal 
organizations. Our clients (and projects) cover a very wide range of sizes, from major oil companies and 
the U.S. EPA, state and local air agencies, and community-based organizations with only a few staff.
Government agencies, industry clients, and law firms comprise the majority of our clientele. We have  
provided related services worldwide, including in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Africa, and China.
The U.S. EPA is our longest tenured client, with work dating back to our inception in 1982. We have a 
current multi-year contract with EPA entitled “Air Quality Data Sensor and Analysis Support.”
Our primary work in the State of Arizona has focused on government agencies (Arizona Department of  
Environmental Quality [ADEQ], Arizona Department of Transportation [ADOT], MCAQD) and tribal 
organizations (e.g., the Gila River Indian Community, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community). 
We have performed work on dozens of projects in Arizona over the last decade, with many others in the 
years prior.
Some examples of recent related services include:

Air quality dispersion modeling: San Francisco area, California; Alberta, Canada; 
Denver area, Colorado; and throughout California (for Caltrans).

Air quality monitoring and field sampling: Nogales, Mexico; Imperial County, 
California; Los Angeles area, California; Clark County, Nevada; Blue Lake Rancheria, 
California; Sacramento, California; and San Francisco area, California.

Air quality and visibility monitoring network data management: Nationally through 
EPA’s AirNow program; all the monitoring locations listed in the previous bullet; Phoenix, 
Arizona; Cleveland, Ohio; and Texas.

SERIAL 230178-RFP

Statistical analysis of data: nationally through the U.S. EPA; Phoenix, Arizona; Imperial 
County, California; Los Angeles area, California; Clark County, Nevada; Blue Lake 
Rancheria, California; Sacramento, California; and San Francisco area, California.
Our staff hold various professional association memberships, frequently attend conferences and 
workshops, and are often invited to lead sessions and present platform talks or posters at these events to 
share our work. Our team strives to be current on all facets of our work, including modeling, measurements, 
data management, and data analysis. Example memberships include the Air and Waste Management 
Association (AWMA), American Geophysical Union (AGU), the Association of American Geographers, the 
American Meteorological Society, the International Association of Wildland Fire (IAWF), the American 
Institute of Chemical Engineers, the International Society for Exposure Science, the American Association 
for Aerosol Research, and the American Chemical Society.
2.2
Approach
2.2.1 Air Quality Technical Research, 
Training, and Consultation
The changing air quality landscape, the real-time nature of air quality information, and the need to provide 
timely responses to on-demand requests all place a premium on effective communications, technical 
assistance, and tailored customer support for agencies and stakeholders. Sonoma Technology 
has 
extensive experience in providing rigorous science and policy research, conducting detailed analysis, 
developing innovative systems and tools, and providing effective consultation services to regulators, 
agencies, researchers, communities, and other stakeholders to deliver high-quality, high-fidelity, relevant 
information for policy making and implementation. Our team of scientists and meteorologists understand air 
quality management programs and policies, the science behind air pollution processes, air quality 
measurements and data, and pollution mitigation solutions, and have the breadth and depth of knowledge 
to provide technical research, training, and consultation services. These services include:

Providing technical assistance and subject matter expertise on complex air quality issues and 
topics

Conducting research on air quality issues, pollutants, and controls

Conducting data analysis and presenting findings

Compiling and tracking common questions and requests by stakeholders, partners, and the public 
to develop response sheets, white papers, FAQs, and training material,

Conducting training sessions and webinars
Method of Approach
We present our general approach for air quality research, consultation, and training for some key thematic 
areas below:

SERIAL 230178-RFP
Literature Review: Insights from published literature on important science and policy topics. Sonoma 
Technology scientists will review the scientific literature related to desired science and policy topics and 
summarize the findings in technical memoranda. For example, to document the real-world emissions for a 
pollutant of interest, Sonoma Technology staff will review published literature from a variety of sectors  and 
sub-sectors, explore the supply chain, and document the operational and lifecycle contributions, and their 
impacts on regional air quality and global climate change, as well as localized impacts on the neighboring 
communities. We will work with MCAQD staff to identify and select priority research papers for review and 
summary.
White papers on policies, technologies, and/or systems: Another need may be to develop white papers 
on policies, systems, and technologies, and their implications for MCAQD programs. For example, 
evaluating the impacts of novel technologies for facility-scale and site-wide monitoring could be useful for 
new enforcement programs. Sonoma Technology staff will conduct a thorough review of satellite systems, 
facility scale monitoring systems, remote sensing systems, and high altitude aircraft, as well as drone and 
aerial imagery, open-path sensors, and mobile or stationary monitors to quantify and evaluate site-wide 
emissions. We will provide a list of these methodologies, summarize the measurement and algorithmic 
techniques used, evaluate the strengths and limitations, provide an example of the application, and 
summarize appropriate use cases. Our standard approach for developing a white paper is:

Meta-study review to identify priority policies, technologies, and systems;

Conduct literature search;

Literature review of selected technical and scientific literature to identify the strengths, limitations, 
and applications of the selected cohorts; and

Develop synthesis white paper and technical memoranda.
Comprehensive statistical, air quality or related data analyses, information gathering, literature 
searches, technical reviews, computation, developing recommendations, and technical support and 
reports     from regional, local, tribal and national data: Our overall approach for environmental data   
analysis support is similar for any suite of environmental data: (1) work with MCAQD staff to identify the 
analysis objectives and/or hypotheses; (2) develop a methodological approach to combine relevant data 
sets, including quality assurance steps of data and code review; (3) conduct analyses, iterating and 
assessing assumptions, and ensuring best practices in statistical assessments; and (4) review and iterate on 
results and methods, ensuring a robust approach that can be effectively communicated and understood by 
a wide range of stakeholders. In each project, we will work with MCAQD to develop the most effective 
approach, building on prior work (such as our prior and ongoing work with EPA) and leveraging new and 
emerging data and data science techniques.
Analyses, evaluation, and assessments of fire science and emissions inventory support related to 
wildfires or other emergency events: Wildland and prescribed fire is a dominating and growing source of 
public PM2.5 exposure as the magnitude and frequency of large wildfires has increased over the last two 
decades. We will incorporate cutting-edge science, satellite- and ground-based observations, models, 
technology, and advanced analytical techniques such as machine learning to support MCAQD in wildfire 
and emergency event response, analysis, and assessment. These activities may include the development 
of

SERIAL 230178-RFP
emission inventories for the wild land fire sectors, review of policies and program implications, and other 
decision support efforts. In addition to wildland fires, we can provide timely assistance in the assessment 
and emergency response of other disasters and natural events that may impact human and environmental 
health. These services may include rapid deployment of air monitoring instruments, development and 
deployment of data platforms and products, analysis and development of emissions inventories, and 
monitoring and forecasting impacts using ground-based and satellite observations, and dispersion, 
photochemical, or other modeling projects.
Development of localized emissions inventory for environmental 
justice applications: Community-scale projects require robust 
localized inventories and monitoring data, as well as effective 
modeling assessments for prioritization and implementation of 
strategies. Sonoma Technology has conducted similar projects that 
follow a four-step process (see figure at right), which include
(1) identifying local source locations, (2) quantifying local source 
strength, (3) developing scalable emissions estimation approaches, 
and (4) conducting air quality modeling to (a) verify and improve steps 
1-3, and (b) provide concentration information to support developing 
emission reduction strategies. The purposes of Steps 1
and 2 are to locate the local-level sources that were not previously identified in existing emission 
inventories and estimate their emission rates. Step 3 generates a broad-scale, high-resolution emissions 
inventory to reflect the updated understanding of emissions rates. Step 4 serves as a verification step 
which uses the inventory developed in Steps 1-3 for air quality modeling and compares the resultant 
concentration field with monitoring data collected at a community level. The comparison between the 
modeled and measured concentrations can be used to refine the estimates in Steps 1-3, and thus 
establish and enhance a hyperlocal emissions inventory.
Training: Sonoma Technology has experience developing scientific handbooks, checklists, and classroom 
materials; providing/supporting in-person and live, web-based technical training and exchanges; and 
teaching hands-on classes/sessions in workshops and conferences. Sonoma Technology will develop 
guidance documents and training for technical and policy topics identified by MCAQD. Such projects would 
include (1) identification and coordination with stakeholders; (2) assessing organization-specific needs and 
requirements; (3) refining project objectives, schedules, milestones, and training plans;
(4) developing plans for logistics and communications needs (e.g., travel, time differences, language, 
technology); (5) developing customized resources based on local conditions; and (6) delivering training or 
other services, follow-up assistance, and project reports. We will create materials such as a syllabus, course 
reader, lectures, tests, homework, and hands-on exercises. We will develop and deliver customized   
training and information exchange. We will help MCAQD plan, lead, and record outcomes from
workshops and conferences. We will develop and deliver web-based training on platforms such as Google 
Hangouts and Zoom.

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2.2.2 Regulatory Planning: Analysis
Sonoma Technology has extensive experience in regulatory analysis, including compiling and analyzing 
emission inventory information from state and local agencies, as well as information from federal sources 
(e.g., NEI, Toxics Release Inventory). Our team also has experience in evaluating the availability and 
feasibility of control technology options for control of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) 
criteria pollutants; developing industry profiles and cost estimates for pollution controls; integrating 
forecasting methods and industry data; and analyzing the socioeconomic impact of proposed rules on 
regional and local air quality. Sonoma Technology staff include air quality, transportation, climate change, 
and health experts, many of whom have gained extensive experience in federal, state, and local government 
agencies in regulatory development and analysis.
Sonoma Technology has decades of experience working with federal, state, and local government agencies 
on a range of regulatory planning and assessment projects.
Regional and Local Planning and State Implementation Plan (SIP) Development Support: Sonoma 
Technology has a long history of performing air quality planning support work for air quality management 
agencies and transportation planning agencies. We have worked with agencies in Arizona and other states 
on numerous SIP-related actions, including support for exceptional event submission packages to the EPA. 
We have also worked with regional, state, and federal agencies to provide transportation control     measure 
planning advice in support of transportation conformity and SIPs. Our work includes state-of- the-art analysis 
of transportation project scenarios, involving estimating traffic activity, modeling   emissions with both EMFAC 
(in California) and MOVES (for other states), completing dispersion modeling with AERMOD, CAL3QHCR, 
and CALINE4, and completing the technical work to support exceptional event submission packages to the 
U.S. EPA. We have also supported Caltrans on air quality projects and issues for over 20 years, and from 
2014 through 2019 we completed air quality-related technical work—ranging from developing tools, analyses, 
publications, and other materials to address near-road requirements—for      the eight-agency Near-Road Air 
Quality TPF, which included participation from U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), ADOT, and six 
other state departments of transportation.
Controlling air pollution involves a continuous and complex planning process that combines technical 
information and air quality policy. Large data sets defining the level and types of emissions from categories 
of sources and meteorological data must be analyzed and combined in mathematical models to inform 
the choice of regulatory options. These data-driven options must be considered in the context of law and 
policy to make decisions about air quality plan development, regulatory development, and program 
implementation. Programs and regulations must be frequently evaluated and updated with respect to 
changes in environmental conditions, health impact data, and federal laws.
Emissions Inventories: Emissions inventories are key building blocks for developing air pollution control 
strategies, tracking progress toward emission reduction targets, and conducting air quality modeling 
simulations. Developing an accurate emissions inventory at the urban scale requires the collection of local, 
“bottom-up” activity data that can be used to estimate emissions for key source categories. Sources of 
activity data include public agencies (e.g., fuel combustion data from the Energy Information Administration) 
and surveys of organizations or individuals (e.g., residential users of wood stoves or lawn

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Figure 2. National wildland fire emissions inventory 
developed by Sonoma Technology for the U.S. EPA.
and garden equipment). In addition, traffic count or other types of vehicle surveys are often used to assess 
traffic volumes and temporal distributions on local roadways.
Sonoma Technology staff also have extensive experience with developing urban- and regional-scale 
emissions inventories for stationary and mobile sources, including the design of data collection 
methodologies to gather the local activity data required for emissions estimates. For example, we have used 
bottom-up activity data collection methods to estimate emissions for recreational boats, lawn and garden 
equipment, agricultural activities, domestic combustion sources, on-road motor vehicles, and construction 
activities. Sonoma
Technology also uses satellite data to 
identify 
and 
characterize 
biomass 
burning, track smoke plumes, and 
evaluate air quality modeling simulations 
of 
smoke. 
For 
example, 
Sonoma 
Technology developed a series 
of 
national 
wildland 
fire 
emissions 
inventories and agricultural fire activity 
databases for 2003-2011 and 2014 on 
behalf of the U.S. EPA (see Figure 2).
These inventories and databases served 
as the basis for fire sector emissions in 
the 2005, 2008, 2011, and 2014 versions 
of the EPA's NEI of air pollutants and 
were used to develop average-year fire 
inventories 
for 
EPA's 
regulatory 
modeling.
Exceptional Events: Another area of expertise for Sonoma Technology staff is exceptional events, which 
are unusual or naturally occurring events that can affect air quality (such as a wildfire or dust storm) but are 
not preventable by reasonable means using techniques that air agencies can implement to attain and 
maintain the NAAQS. To justify the exclusion of data related to an exceptional event, the reporting agency 
must provide evidence that the event is considered exceptional, as defined in the EPA’s Exceptional Events 
Rule. EPA has provided guidance specifically addressing exceptional events from high wind dust events, 
impacts on ozone from wildfires, and impacts on ozone from stratospheric intrusions.
The revised 2016 Exceptional Events Rule states that an exceptional events demonstration must include  the 
following six elements: (1) a narrative conceptual model that describes the event(s) causing the exceedance 
and a discussion of how emissions from the event(s) led to the exceedance at the affected monitor(s); (2) a 
demonstration that the event affected air quality in such a way that there exists a clear causal relationship 
between the specific event and the monitored exceedance; (3) analyses comparing the event-influenced 
concentration(s) to concentrations at the same monitoring site at other times; (4) a demonstration that the 
event was both not reasonably controllable and not reasonably preventable; (5) a demonstration that the 
event was caused by human activity that is unlikely to recur at a particular location

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or was a natural event; and (6) documentation that the submitting air agency followed the public comment 
process.
We developed methods for quantifying the impact of various types of exceptional events on air pollutant 
concentrations, including statistical methods (e.g., stepwise regression to estimate ozone increment due to 
smoke―meteorological data obtained through AirNow-Tech) and modeling methods (e.g., using the 
Community Multiscale Air Quality [CMAQ] model through the BlueSky Gateway system) to estimate 
concentrations both with and without exceptional event impacts.
Sonoma Technology developed and submitted ten exceptional event demonstrations with Clark County, 
Nevada, for wildfire smoke and stratospheric intrusion events in 2020-2021, and we are currently 
developing additional exceptional event demonstrations for Clark County that will span a 5-year period 
(2022-2027). Our scientists perform a variety of geospatial analyses for these exceptional event 
demonstrations, including the generation of fire and smoke maps, air parcel trajectory and dispersion 
modeling, and analysis of a suite of satellite remote sensing data products. The additional exceptional event 
demonstrations will also include high-wind dust and potentially firework-related event types.
In working with the EPA to support the analysis of dust events, we applied several wind metrics (wind 
speed, wind gusts, sustained winds) to better understand wind thresholds for dust production/lofting of dust. 
We have applied back trajectories and have used geographical information system (GIS) methods to track 
emissions sources or land use types over which trajectories traveled. We prepared a series of more than 
25 exceptional events packets for ADEQ in 2012 through 2014.
Sonoma Technology worked with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality to investigate 
whether a violation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone concentrations in Baton 
Rouge in September 2017 was caused by wildfire smoke. Through the use of satellite data and Sonoma 
Technology’s BlueSky Gateway air quality modeling system, our work showed that smoke from distant 
wildfires in Idaho, Montana, Washington, Oregon, and California impacted air quality in Louisiana; this 
packet was subsequently approved by the EPA.1
Air Quality Modeling: Sonoma Technology staff members are experienced in the use of EPA-approved 
models to assess the impacts of control measures on ambient concentrations and to demonstrate 
attainment of federal air quality standards. We regularly apply the American Meteorological 
Society/Environmental Protection Agency Regulatory Model Improvement Committee (AERMIC) Model 
(AERMOD) to assess near-field air quality impacts from roadway emissions, construction equipment, and 
toxic chemical emissions from industrial facilities. Sonoma Technology staff members are also experts at 
conducting urban- and regional-scale photochemical grid modeling studies using the Comprehensive Air 
Quality Model with Extensions (CAMx) and the CMAQ model. More details on our modeling experience are 
available in Section 2.2.3.
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Inventories: In support of Arizona’s continuing efforts to address 
climate change, Sonoma Technology staff can analyze (1) the requirements of GHG policies;
(2) quantifiable impacts of GHG reduction strategies; and (3) the likely impacts of GHG emission limits on
1 https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-08/documents/ldeq_ee_demonstration_final_w_appendices.pdf

SERIAL 230178-RFP
the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). Activities may 
include further development or update of Arizona’s GHG emissions inventories, which would likely involve 
refining future projections to incorporate the impacts of federal programs. Sonoma Technology staff can also 
provide assistance with development and prioritization of policy options—such as land use strategies, 
alternative modes (transit, rail, biking, and vanpools), and other travel reduction measures (e.g., 
telecommuting projects)—for mitigating GHG emissions.
Sonoma Technology staff would complete GHG-related analyses by building on our past work for other 
transportation planning agencies. For example, Sonoma Technology developed a GHG analysis protocol 
for on-road transportation projects for Caltrans. In addition, Sonoma Technology and transportation 
planning agencies from the State of Washington developed a web-based application tool, Low-Carb Land, 
to assess how land use changes affect travel activities and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Sonoma 
Technology also worked with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and other partners to establish 
baseline and future-year GHG inventories for the Lake Tahoe Basin. By using these existing tools or 
developing new analysis tools and methods, Sonoma Technology can provide MCAQD with technical 
support and advice in the development of regional plans for meeting GHG emissions goals. Sonoma 
Technology can also assist MCAQD in updating TIPs and RTPs to integrate GHG emissions and emissions 
reduction plans.
Sonoma Technology can also leverage its work experience for other public agencies to assist MCAQD in 
placing transportation-related GHG emissions in the broader context of GHG emissions from other 
sources. For example, Sonoma Technology was selected by CAL FIRE (California’s statewide fire 
management agency) to support quantification of GHG emissions benefits associated with CAL FIRE 
Prevention Priority Projects, which aimed to protect 200 of California’s most wildfire-vulnerable 
communities. Sonoma Technology scientists used various forestry and fire ecology models and carbon 
stock and GHG calculators to quantify the net GHG emissions benefits associated with these projects.
GIS Analysis: The Sonoma Technology team offers extensive experience with ESRI’s ArcGIS software, 
which our scientists use on a range of air quality analysis, modeling, and data projects. We use GIS 
analysis for the development of emissions inventories, which is applicable to investigations of weather- 
driven exceptional events. For example, in the case of a windblown dust event, GIS analyses and back- 
trajectory analyses of winds could be combined with bottom-up analyses of emissions inventories to 
identify, target, and evaluate the potential impacts of upwind sources of anthropogenic windblown dust on 
ambient concentrations of particulate matter.
Figure 3 showcases screenshots of the ArcGIS PM Background Web Map tool that Sonoma Technology 
has developed and updated for Caltrans. This tool was designed to help transportation analysts identify
(1) one or more PM monitoring sites that are representative of background concentrations. and (2) a 
representative meteorological monitoring site for a proposed project. The tool provides comparisons 
between PM background concentrations and the NAAQS, as well as information on the characteristics of 
the meteorological conditions. This tool can expedite the completion of the hot-spot analysis process 
described in EPA’s quantitative PM hot-spot guidance for transportation conformity.

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Figure 3. Sonoma Technology’s ArcGIS PM Background Web Map tool developed for Caltrans.
Stakeholder engagement: Air quality plan preparation typically involves a wide range of tasks such as the 
formation of stakeholder work groups, completion of technical work, preparation of draft work products for 
public comment, completion of responses to public comments, and interagency coordination to  ensure state 
and federal approval of final plan provision. Typically, a Technical Support Document (TSD) or a series of 
documents is prepared to provide the analytic foundation for the plan. Sonoma Technology staff are aware 
of and sensitive to the complexities of the plan development process, and, as much as is possible, the need 
to make TSD material understandable to a general public audience. Sonoma  Technology staff have 
experience preparing and supporting state implementation plans (SIP revisions, maintenance plans, TSDs) 
both as contractors and as employees of regulatory agencies.
Some of the most important plan preparation work involves securing the approval of the state and federal 
review agencies involved with receiving and processing plan submittals. Sonoma Technology scientists

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have direct experience working in state and federal regulatory settings and participating in interagency 
discussions related to control measure assessments, linkages between air planning and conformity 
planning assumptions, and other aspects of air quality plan preparation.
Method of Approach
Given the breadth of regulatory analysis projects, the following section provides a general description of 
Sonoma Technology’s technical approach to completing some sample rule analysis projects.
PM10 Maintenance Plan: Maintenance Plans for course particulate matter (PM10) require a description of 
control measures for the maintenance period, the development of an attainment emissions inventory and 
projected emissions for future years, a modeled demonstration that future emission levels will not cause a 
violation of the NAAQS, and commitments to continue air quality monitoring to verify attainment of the 
NAAQS.
The development of a maintenance plan presents an opportunity to reevaluate existing control programs, 
emissions inventory development and forecasting methods, air quality modeling approaches, and monitoring 
networks. Sonoma Technology staff have extensive experience with a variety of modeling approaches (e.g., 
dispersion modeling, trajectory analyses, and photochemical modeling), the review and improvement of 
emissions inventories, and monitoring network assessments; we can provide valuable technical assistance 
during the development of the PM10 maintenance plan.
Eight-Hour Ozone Plans: We have been involved in the development of numerous ozone plans. Common 
elements have included:

Stakeholder Participation. Establishing technical and policy workgroups, developing 
technical protocols, maintaining ongoing communications, and building consensus.

Data Analysis. Determining design values, assessing the current situation and status of air 
quality indicators, identifying and quantifying key pollutants and their precursors, identifying key 
air pollution sources and their characteristics, assessing trends in air quality and their 
relationships to emissions and meteorology, developing a conceptual description of conditions 
leading to violations of the NAAQS, and establishing air quality indicators to measure progress in 
achieving air quality policies.

Monitoring. Augmenting routine monitoring if needed for analysis or modeling, performing special 
monitoring to characterize key pollutant sources if necessary, performing meteorological or air 
quality monitoring to aid in assessing and quantifying ozone and ozone precursor transport, and 
performing surveys to improve estimates of activity data and other emissions-related data.

Modeling. Performing meteorological modeling, processing emissions, performing base case 
photochemical grid modeling, performing future-year (attainment year) photochemical grid 
modeling, projecting future-year design values, and performing emissions sensitivity and/or 
source attribution modeling to aid in control strategy development.

SERIAL 230178-RFP

Control Strategy Development.2 Developing emission targets based on analysis and 
modeling, identifying available control technologies, developing a short list of near-term 
measures and a long list of potential measures for future consideration, evaluating costs and 
benefits of the control measures, packaging control measures in groups of strategies sufficient 
to achieve air quality goals, and assessing the effectiveness of control strategies through 
modeling.

Attainment Demonstration. Preparing a modeled attainment demonstration (calculating relative 
response factors, determining future-year design values, and performing an unmonitored area 
analysis), presenting data analysis findings, preparing supplemental analyses to corroborate the 
modeling results, and integrating data and modeling analyses to develop a “weight of evidence” 
demonstration of attainment.

Plan Documentation. Preparing a plan overview with summaries of the entire planning 
process, but with a focus on rules to be adopted and air quality outcomes; and preparing 
technical support documents to provide details of the analyses performed.
Analysis of Exceptional Events: Sonoma Technology has supported the development of exceptional 
events packets for state and local agencies, including ADEQ’s PM10 exceedance days from high wind 
events, and wildfire smoke and stratospheric intrusion events for Clark County, Nevada.
To develop exceptional event demonstrations that meet EPA’s Exceptional Events Rule, historical weather 
and pollution data need to be collected, organized, and summarized statistically. Graphics and summary 
tables showing the events relative to historical ranges are needed to demonstrate that the event was in 
excess of normal historical fluctuations. One type of analysis is to compare the diurnal profile from each 
exceptional event day to typical days with high concentrations of the specific pollutant during the same 
season over the past five years. This analysis helps determine whether the diurnal profile is unusual and 
consistent with the claimed event. It is also important to analyze the spatial pattern in the pollutant 
concentrations to determine whether concentrations were high at all sites in the area (indicating high 
regional concentrations rather than localized impacts). For daylight events, satellite photos can be useful in 
showing dust plumes at a large scale.
Back trajectories are prepared for the day(s) of the event and the surrounding days to understand the   type 
of land over which the air parcels traveled. We typically run several trajectories per day at varying heights to 
obtain an ensemble. We can summarize the land use types or emission sources and the relative amount of 
time that air parcels passed through those areas. These analyses help show a clear causal relationship 
between the high concentrations and the source(s) of the specific pollutant. Documentation is required to 
show that anthropogenic emission sources had reasonable control measures in place.
Discussion with the local agencies and stakeholders will be needed to assemble information regarding the 
control measure options and their use leading up to the event. It is important to summarize recent violations.
Documentation of the analyses and the case for an exceptional event will be compiled in accordance with 
the EPA’s guidance and our understanding of the exceptional events packets that have been approved.
2 Required if “on the books” controls are not sufficient to achieve the NAAQS.

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Emissions Inventory: In support of Title I of the Clean Air Act Amendments, periodic development of 
emissions inventories for ozone precursors, CO, and PM10 may be needed. Baseline emissions inventories 
and emissions revisions for areas that fail to meet NAAQS may be required. MCAQD may need technical 
assistance with developing inputs, devising methodologies, and revising methodologies for on-road, non- 
road, and biogenic source modeling.
Sonoma Technology staff have extensive experience developing emissions inventories, assessing and 
improving existing inventories, and preparing emissions data for use in air quality modeling applications. For 
example, we developed emissions inventories for on-road and non-road mobile sources and agricultural 
dust sources for the Central Regional Air Planning Association (CENRAP) to support the development of a 
regional haze plan. We have also prepared biogenic emissions estimates to support wintertime ozone 
modeling in Wyoming’s Upper Green River Basin, and summertime ozone modeling in New Mexico.
Products and Documentation: Products and documentation can range from presentations, formal journal 
article(s), or a data exploration dashboard. In all cases, the data analysis approach and results need to be 
presented in a way that the targeted audience can understand.
Methods or Tools: GIS (maps, spatial analysis), HYSPLIT trajectory modeling, R, RShiny, python, EPA’s 
DART, EPA’s QA Dashboards, PMF, CMB, and Excel.
Table 1 below shows an example statement of work and list of deliverables that Sonoma Technology would 
develop for rule analysis projects.

SERIAL 230178-RFP
Table 1. Example statement of work schedule and list of deliverables.
Task
Deliverable/Milestone
Schedule
Task 1: Kickoff 
meeting (via 
teleconference)
Call to discuss and finalize statement of work and 
analysis objectives
Feasibility analysis/project plan
1 week after 
award
3 weeks after call
Task 2: Data 
Acquisition and Review
Conference call to discuss data review findings
4 weeks after 
plan approval
Task 3: Network 
Assessment 
Analyses
Webinar presentation illustrating analysis results, 
visualizations, and preliminary recommendations 
and options
8 weeks 
after Task 2 
completion
Technical Memorandum
Task 4: Reporting
Data plots and summary files
Presentation material for the public
6 weeks 
after Task 3 
completion
2.2.3 Air Quality Modeling
Sonoma Technology staff members are experienced in the use of EPA-approved models to assess the 
impacts of control measures on ambient concentrations and to demonstrate attainment of federal air quality 
standards. We regularly apply AERMOD to assess near-field air quality impacts from roadway emissions, 
construction equipment, and toxic chemical emissions from industrial facilities. Sonoma Technology staff 
members are also experts at conducting urban- and regional-scale photochemical grid modeling studies 
using the CAMx and the CMAQ model.
Our staff have been performing photochemical grid modeling to support SIP development for many years. 
For more than a decade, we have run the BlueSky Gateway modeling system, an operational framework 
that applies CMAQ on a daily basis to forecast fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations and ozone air 
quality impacts from fires. Most recently, Sonoma Technology has used CMAQ and CAMx to assess the 
impacts of oil and gas emissions on wintertime ozone, quantify impacts of power sector emissions on 
downwind air quality, and estimate background ozone concentrations throughout the United States. In 
2019, Sonoma Technology completed a modeling analysis with CAMx to assess the role of local and non-
local emissions sources, including wildfires, on ozone concentrations in the City of Albuquerque, New 
Mexico. Our source apportionment modeling work with the City of Albuquerque was published in the Journal 
of the Air & Waste Management Association3 (see Figure 4).
3 Craig K., Erdakos G., Chang S.Y., and Baringer L. (2020) Air quality and source apportionment modeling of Year 2017 ozone 
episodes 
in 
Albuquerque/Bernalillo 
County, 
New 
Mexico. 
J. 
Air 
Waste 
Manage., 
70(11), 
1101-1120, 
doi: 
10.1080/10962247.2020.1764879 (STI-7231). Available at https://doi.org/10.1080/10962247.2020.1764879.

SERIAL 230178-RFP
Figure 4. Modeled daily 8-hr ozone contributions from fire 
emissions in New Mexico. Published as part of Sonoma 
Technology’s work with the City of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Photochemical 
grid 
models 
require 
high-quality 
meteorological and emissions 
inputs. Sonoma Technology 
staff have extensive experience 
preparing these inputs using 
the Weather Research and 
Forecasting (WRF) numerical 
weather prediction model and 
the Sparse Matrix Operator 
Kernel 
Emissions (SMOKE) 
processing system. Recently, 
Sonoma 
Technology 
used 
WRF 
to 
develop 
high- 
resolution 
meteorological 
inputs in complex terrain to
support our CAMx modeling assessment for the City of Albuquerque. Sonoma Technology staff were 
involved in the development of SMOKE and have used it to develop hundreds of model-ready emissions 
inventories. Our emission inventories frequently involve the application of travel activity data (e.g., vehicle 
count, speed, and fleet mix) and EPA’s Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator (MOVES) to estimate on-road 
and non-road mobile source emissions. We are familiar with EPA’s emissions modeling platforms and often 
use these platforms as a starting point for modeling analyses. We also regularly use SMOKE and apply 
available data to project emissions into the future to support future-year modeling assessment for SIP 
attainment and other purposes.
Sonoma Technology has extensive experience planning, conducting, and managing complex modeling 
projects, including projects requiring quality assurance project plans (QAPPs), modeling protocols, and 
stakeholder engagement. We regularly use ambient monitoring data to develop conceptual models of air 
quality issues and conduct model performance evaluations to critically evaluate modeling inputs and 
outputs. We use a multi-layered approach consistent with EPA’s modeling guidance to evaluate model 
performance, which includes (1) operational evaluation using statistical metrics such as normalized mean 
bias and error and correlation coefficient; and (2) diagnostic evaluation using graphical analyses such as 
time series plots, spatial plots, and scatter plots. We use a variety of tools such as EPA’s Visual  Environment 
for Rich Data Interpretation (VERDI) and Atmospheric Model Evaluation Tool (AMET) software, ESRI’s GIS 
software, and custom software using modern scientific data packages in Python and R to evaluate, 
visualize, interpret, and communicate air quality modeling results.
Air pollutants are emitted from many different types of sources, and a variety of scientific methods and tools 
can be used to quantify air emissions and resulting air quality impacts from these sources. The emissions 
and modeled pollutant concentrations are then placed in context of current air quality conditions, relevant 
regulations, and how the facility’s emissions might impact the area.

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Air quality models are mathematical descriptions of pollution transport, dispersion, and related processes in 
the atmosphere and have been in use for decades. Air quality dispersion models estimate air pollutant 
concentrations at many locations, which are referred to as receptors. The number of receptors in a model 
far exceeds the number of monitors one could typically afford to deploy in a monitoring study. Therefore, 
dispersion models provide a cost-effective way to analyze impacts over a large geographic area where 
factors such as meteorology, topography, and emissions could be important.
Air quality models are also appropriate tools to examine the air quality impacts of proposed regulations and 
policies. Air quality agencies and businesses regularly use these models to evaluate the sensitivity of air 
pollution concentrations to changes in emissions, which aids in decision making about the impacts of 
emissions from new facilities on local air quality. Predicting pollutant concentrations associated with future 
emission scenarios is another important use of air quality models.
Method of Approach
Feasibility Analysis. In the context of a modeling project, the feasibility analysis is the development of a 
conceptual model, also called a modeling protocol document. This document includes the domain(s) to be 
modeled, model selection, emissions inventory development (e.g., activity data, stationary source 
operational schedules, emissions sources by release point to the atmosphere), locations of sensitive 
receptors, meteorological conditions, building downwash, and background concentration data.
Descriptions of the proposed approaches include the type and sources of input data, assumptions, and 
technical details of data processing and analyses. We also describe the proposed process for quality 
assurance/quality control (QA/QC) to be used throughout all work scope elements and plans for 
documenting the analysis. The modeling protocol can then be used for discussion and preapproval with the 
governing agency, such as EPA.
Development of the modeling protocol or conceptual model is the foundation of a modeling project. It is 
important that the modeling team understand the regulatory need for the modeling, the source(s) of 
concern, and the standards with which to compare the predicted concentrations. When reviewing modeling 
performed by others, the conceptual model is important to keep in mind. Some details in developing a 
conceptual model include understanding regional transport patterns and the emission sources that may 
contribute to local air quality; local meteorological conditions; pollutant temporal trends; and source 
categories and their temporal trends.
Air pollutant emissions from stationary sources can be quantified using a number of techniques, depending 
on the data available. These techniques include estimating emissions using EPA-approved emissions 
factors and methods; using state or industry-specific emission factors; using emissions models developed 
specifically for a certain source type (e.g., vehicles); using a material mass balance approach; measuring 
pollutant emissions using source tests; or using continuous emissions monitoring (CEM) data. If available, 
CEM data provide the most reliable estimate of emissions because they are based on actual measurements 
from a specific source type.

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Depending on the modeling required, key steps may include:

Analysis of ambient air quality and meteorological data from monitoring sites throughout the 
project area to assess ambient pollutant concentrations and attainment statuses.

An independent literature review of the current methods for estimating pollutant emissions, and 
mitigation technologies.

Development of an emission inventory for activities associated with the facility, using current 
emissions estimation methods and EPA best practices.

Air quality modeling and analysis using the appropriate model, such as AERMOD, to predict and 
evaluate pollutant concentrations resulting from stationary or mobile sources. These analyses 
may include:
-
Conducting simulations for alternatives for the current year or a future year.
-
Processing background concentration data used in the design value. Calculating the design 
value involves following EPA guidance (such as current PM methodologies for combining the 
appropriate background values with the modeled concentrations), then comparing the design 
values to the NAAQS.
-
Preparing isopleth contour plots of modeled concentrations, as well as tables of modeled 
concentrations for each pollutant, averaging period, scenario, and comparison of alternatives, 
if applicable.
Findings/results are summarized in a technical report that documents all aspects of the modeling analysis, 
including the emissions and dispersion modeling approaches, input data, key assumptions, analysis 
methods, the modeling results, and concluding discussion. Other deliverables include relevant electronic 
files, such as modeling input and output files, spreadsheets with model inputs, calculations,  meteorological 
data, and post-processing files. We work with our clients to select the preferred method of delivery (e.g., on 
an external hard disk or upload through an online platform, or both).
Milestones/timeline: An example schedule of milestones/deliverables for a dispersion modeling project is 
shown in Table 2.

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Table 2. Example project schedule.
Tasks
Milestones (M) and Deliverables (D)
Due Date (from project start date)
1. Meetings and Coordination
1. (M)
Ongoing periodic meetings and communications
2. Modeling Protocol/Work Plan
2.1 (D)
Draft Modeling Protocol
2 weeks
2.2 (D)
Revised Modeling Protocol
6 weeks
3. Data Gathering and Preparation
3. (M)
Acquisition and preparation of model inputs
14 weeks
4. Dispersion Modeling
4.1 (M) Completion of model setup and configuration
20 weeks
4.2 (M) Completion of modeling and analysis
24 weeks
5. Technical Report
5.1 (D)
Technical Report - Draft #1
27 weeks
5.2 (D)
Technical Report - Draft #2
31 weeks
5.3 (D)
Technical Report - Draft #3 (Final)
35 weeks
6. Delivery of Electronic Files
6. (D)
Electronic Files
35 weeks
* The schedule assumes two weeks for client review of written deliverables.
Methods/tools: AERMET, AERMOD, CALMET, CALPUFF, SCICHEM, MOVES, HYSPLIT, R, Python, AQS, 
SQL,
and GIS.
2.2.4 Air Monitoring Technical Assistance
The Sonoma Technology team offers decades of experience performing routine air quality and 
meteorological measurements to help clients meet EPA and state requirements. Our scientists have also 
designed and performed special air quality and meteorological field studies to meet specific regulatory 
requirements. Our experience includes measuring a wide range of pollutants, including ozone, PM10,   PM2.5, 
speciated PM, air toxics, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), 
black carbon (BC), CO, CO2, sulfur dioxide (SO2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and nitrogen oxides (NOx), as 
well as studies requiring visibility, surface, and upper-air meteorological measurements. We also have

SERIAL 230178-RFP
extensive experience using low-cost and small sensors for a range of measurement projects, including for 
fenceline monitoring, hot spot analyses, and environmental justice projects.
We have performed and supported monitoring and sampling for state agencies in Arizona, California, 
Texas, Michigan, Colorado, and Delaware, as well as for numerous local agencies. Sonoma Technology  
staff led the effort to rewrite EPA guidance on meteorological measurements, monitoring network 
assessments, and data validation procedures. Sonoma Technology staff members are also experts in 
writing QAPPs, SOPs, and monitoring plans (MP) to meet client, EPA, and federal, state, or local 
government requirements. Sonoma Technology works with refinery clients across California to implement, 
maintain, and operate fenceline monitoring networks measuring a wide range of pollutants to meet  facility 
and regulatory requirements. Sonoma Technology also developed SOPs for EPA for new PM2.5 federal 
equivalent method (FEM) instruments. We also worked with EPA’s Office of Research and Development 
to develop The Air Sensor Guidebook.4
High-quality monitoring data are vital for determining attainment statuses and demonstrating progress 
toward attainment. Such data are obtained by selecting the appropriate instrumentation (e.g., instruments 
that qualify as a FEM), installing and operating monitoring equipment following EPA guidance and SOPs, 
inspecting data daily to ensure proper instrument operation, and performing data validation so that data 
meet published EPA and state requirements. Proper site and equipment selection are vital to obtaining 
representative data. Collecting representative data that meet siting criteria with the use of proper equipment 
and procedures allow policy makers to draw accurate conclusions regarding attainment status or progress. 
Also, proper equipment selection can improve data completeness and minimize operating costs.
Additionally, the data collected by these monitoring systems are complex and require a well-designed data 
management approach and robust system and tools to meet project needs for data collection, storage, and 
visualization. A monitoring program and its data must satisfy a variety of requirements, including facilitating 
regulatory processes and protocols such as assessment of the NAAQS, developing and implementing SIP, 
adhering to federal, state, and local QAPPs, submission to databases such as the EPA’s Air Quality System 
(AQS), facilitating public reporting, enabling policy making and other decision support, and overall ensuring 
that the data collected are fit for purpose.
Monitoring networks evolve as they undergo periodic review, new methods may be used to transmit data, 
new instruments can come online, improvements may need to be made to the data management quality 
system, and data storage and reporting may need updating based on new requirements. In addition, the 
data volume from air monitoring networks has increased significantly in the last decade, especially with  the 
increased use of instruments and sensors with high-temporal resolution. All of these requirements   and 
objectives must be considered in the data management approach for any monitoring network project.
We employ a rigorous approach and data system for designing, developing, and maintaining the processes 
for data collection, storage, and visualization of air quality and related monitoring network data.
4 
 
 
https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si_public_record_report.cfm?Lab=NERL&dirEntryId= 
277996&simpleSearch=1&searchAll=air+sensor+guidebook

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Our approach to data management is organized into the following core areas: (1) feasibility analysis and 
system design; (2) data storage components; (3) data processing components, including data acquisition, 
QA, data aggregation, and alerting/notifications; (4) data visualization and distribution components, 
including websites, application program interfaces (API), and customized tools, reports, and analyses; and
(5) documentation and training.
Method of Approach
Feasibility Analysis. As part of the procurement and installation of air quality monitoring instrumentation 
and equipment for an agency, a feasibility analysis is typically required. Following discussions with agency 
staff, our Scientists provide recommendations for instrumentation and equipment, including procurement 
lead times; a proposed schedule of milestones and deliverables; a discussion of special logistics for the 
project; and roles and responsibilities. This is a collaborative process to ensure the agency will be able to 
meet their goals.
The feasibility analysis also includes requirements gathering to ensure that a data management system is 
properly designed to meet the monitoring program needs for data collection, storage, and visualization. As 
part of the feasibility analysis, we will use a combination of meetings, surveys, and user stories to compile 
all of the system and user requirements, making sure that all stakeholders are included and considered in 
the process. Following discussions with the project team and other stakeholders, the analysis will be used 
to provide recommendations for overall system design, including software and hardware technology 
choices; programming languages; specifications for system up-time; security needs; back-up needs; use of 
cloud or on-premises servers; quality system requirements; a proposed schedule of milestones and 
deliverables; and roles and responsibilities. This collaborative process will ensure that all project objectives 
and goals are met, and that the final products exceed expectations.
Monitoring Plans: We typically create a monitoring plan that outlines the many steps in investigating and 
establishing an ambient air monitoring station, including understanding monitoring objectives (such as the 
pollutants of concern and supporting measurements), data quality requirements, sampling frequency, 
instrument selection, instrument operations and maintenance needs (e.g., frequency of technician visits), 
how the new site fits into the larger network design, physical siting requirements and constraints, data 
management options, and budget. An evaluation of existing sites and an in-person visit to the proposed 
site is useful when funds permit. The monitoring plan provides much of what is needed in a QAPP (if 
required).
In the site investigation process, we need to understand the number, distribution, and influence of sources 
near potential locations for the site, the existing monitoring network (location of the current sites, what is 
measured), population density, terrain, meteorology (e.g., predominant winds), and the desired   monitoring 
scale (e.g., neighborhood, urban, regional). An ambient air monitoring site should be  accessible by vehicles 
in all weather conditions; meet siting criteria (e.g., sufficient distance from trees or buildings); placed in a 
secure, level area; serviceable by line power and high-speed telemetry (preferred); and large enough for a 
suitable platform to contain the desired instrumentation. Some instruments can be placed at a site without 
the need for a climate-controlled shelter, while others will require such a shelter.

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Other logistics include site permits and site preparation needs (e.g., concrete pad, power drop, security 
fencing).
Instrument selection is guided by the requirement for using an FRM/FEM qualifying instrument (or not); 
pollutants to be measured; magnitude of concentrations expected (related to the sensitivity of the 
measurement technique); sampling frequency and duration (continuous vs. integrated samples); accuracy, 
precision, and bias requirements; calibration requirements (e.g., need for calibration gases); durability, 
quality of construction, and weather-proofing; ability to withstand rough use and weather impacts such as 
dust, heat, and moisture; ease of installation, operation, and maintenance; power needs, how power is 
delivered, and the response to power loss; data transmission; and cost. Most of these selection 
considerations apply to low-cost sensors, as well as FEM instruments. Other potentially important 
considerations include instrument warranty and repair options; availability of standard operating procedures 
(SOPs) and training material; and existing familiarity with the equipment or equipment manufacturer.
Installation. As standard practice, newly purchased equipment is tested and evaluated by Sonoma 
Technology staff prior to field deployment. We evaluate the equipment upon delivery and arrange transport 
of the equipment to the site. If deficiencies are found, equipment is serviced or replaced (via the 
manufacturer’s warranty). We have a standard set of tools and calibration equipment for installation.
Typically, we work with the client during installation so that their technicians (if desired) have hands-on 
training with the equipment being deployed. To augment the hands-on training, we also provide videos of 
typical procedures (e.g., flow check, pressure check) and walk through the SOPs. Safety on site is of top 
importance and included in the preparation for installation. Documentation of installation (e.g., photos, 
observations, notes, problems encountered and the solution), instrument settings, flow checks, standard 
certification, and calibration results are provided. Before leaving the site, the team ensures that all 
equipment are in working order, data telemetry is established and data are flowing, and the site is tidy and 
secure. It is vital that the field team is knowledgeable about the instrumentation to be installed and has 
excellent trouble-shooting skills. We ensure that the instruments can be accessed remotely for 
troubleshooting, especially when deployed to sites that are remote and/or cannot be maintained on a 
regular basis.
Data Management System (DMS): Along with a well-designed air monitoring network, proper data 
management results in data sets that MCAQD can confidently use. A DMS is the backbone of air monitoring 
data management. When creating or improving a DMS, we build on how we manage our own data. We 
have developed a rigorous and comprehensive DMS that provides the core components of data 
management previously described, including data storage, processing, visualization and distribution, and 
documentation and training.
Acquiring Data. Sources of information used in the analysis are retrieved or identified in this phase of the 
analysis. The data sources, aggregation methods, time frame to be covered, and calculations (e.g., unit 
changes) need to be explicitly defined for end-data users. In the analysis objectives, the team will have set 
data requirements such as “data must be from a regulatory grade data source from EPA’s Air Quality 
System.” Data sources commonly used to explore environmental planning questions include the pollutant(s) 
of concern and co-pollutants from regulatory monitoring sites; low-cost sensor network data; meteorological 
data; demographics (e.g., population density); environmental justice screening tool results;

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air quality model results; emission inventories (e.g., location of key emissions sources); satellite data; and 
traffic information. Using GIS software to map various data layers and locations of data sources is also 
informative.
Data Storage: In a DMS, data storage will be designed to include a combination of components to ensure 
optimum scalability, redundancy, and security. Data storage considerations include storage capacity; 
security, backups, and recoverability; real-time speed of data ingestion and processing; data format 
structures, including labels, units, time stamps, and location; auto-screening procedures; alerting for 
missing data; data access and web services; data visualization; and methods for getting the data out of the 
system (for decision/policy makers and the public). High-time resolution data, in particular, can take up a 
significant amount of space and requires planning to find the best solution for how to store, manage, 
process, and visualize the data. This is particularly true for air sensor data or complex speciated data such 
as hourly speciated hydrocarbons. Ultimately, data storage will occur in-field at monitoring sites, in a 
centralized repository, and in backup archives. In-field data storage includes onsite instrument computers 
in case of transfer failure. In addition, data are transferred as part of the data collection process to a 
centralized relational data base such as MySQL that is used to store data from all instruments in one place. 
Raw data can also be archived in on-premises servers, or in the cloud such as in Amazon S3 or         
Amazon Glacier.
Data Processing: Data collection is the first step of the data processing pipeline in a data management 
system. Air quality, visibility, and meteorological data are typically transferred from in-field instruments 
through a data acquisition system (DAS) to the DMS. The DMS is also designed to obtain data from third- 
party distribution options such as file transfer protocols (FTP), cloud archives (e.g., Amazon S3), and APIs 
such as those used by low-cost sensor companies.
Quality Assurance: After data collection, automated data screening checks and data aggregation routines 
are conducted within the DMS upon data ingest. The screening checks are used for continuous examination 
of data quality and can help focus the efforts of data validation staff on data that need the most attention. 
Auto-screened data can also be provided to public facing websites and notification systems to inform and 
alert project staff and the public. The screening check concentration criteria are based on an analysis of 
expected instrument performance, concentration levels of concern by compound, and typical ambient 
concentrations by compound. If, based on a detailed manual review of the data, it is determined that the 
automated screening criteria are insufficient, the thresholds are revised. The DMS auto-screening checks 
include:

Range. These checks verify that the instrument is not reporting values outside of the 
reasonable minimum and maximum concentrations.

Sticking. If values are repeated for a number of sampling intervals, data are reviewed for 
validity. Typically, four or more intervals of sticking values are a reasonable time span to 
indicate         that investigation is needed. Sticking checks are not applied to data that are 
below the instrument detection limit.

Rate of Change. Values that change rapidly without reasonable cause are flagged and reviewed.

Missing. If data are missing, data during those time periods are coded as missing. Missing 
data may indicate a power issue, an instrumentation problem, or a data communication 
problem.

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The time period allowed for missing data may be adjusted as a project proceeds to reduce false 
or excessive alerting.

Sensor OP Codes and Alarms. If the instrument assigns operation (op) codes to data 
automatically (e.g., for calibration and internal flow rate checks), the data will be reviewed, 
codes confirmed, and data flags checked.
QC flags that are identified through auto-screening are graphically reviewed during daily and quarterly data 
validation (i.e., not in real time). Review of data flags involves checking the data from the website/database 
against the raw instrument data. If it is found that data were incorrectly flagged during this process, the 
analyst may manually change the flag. For example, if calibration data were inadvertently shown as real 
ambient data, the analyst can flag the data as calibration data. The DMS keeps track of data changes in its 
chain-of-custody feature, which ensures that raw data and all changes are preserved. For our projects, 
redundancy of the DMS data is maintained on a cloud-based system. All processes need to follow 
regulatory compliance. Additional data processing routines include applying data corrections to low-cost 
sensor and other data, calculating data averages, data descriptive statistics, and providing other data 
metrics such as AQI. Further data processing may be needed to transform data for visualization and 
distribution.
Data Analysis: Data analysis, which almost always involves statistical exploration, is a vital component of 
environmental agency decision making. Key components of data analysis include setting analysis 
objectives, acquiring the data, validating the data, processing the data, implementing and performing 
QA/QC procedures, performing the analyses, creating products, and effectively communicating findings. 
The proper approach and tools are required to make sense of these often enormous data sets.
Data Screening. For regulatory related analyses, it may be necessary to screen out data. Common 
examples of data that may be screened from analysis include exceptional events, non-FRM/FEM data, 
statistical outliers, negative values, data from sites that do not meet siting criteria (e.g., source-influenced 
sites), and data that fail completeness checks.
Analysis and Visualization. Any statistical, graphical, visual, or qualitative examination of the data for the 
purpose of making factual inferences from the data falls under analysis and visualization. The methods 
used to make comparisons, assess concentration trends, or qualitatively improve scientific understanding 
are varied. It is a best practice to use both statistical (e.g., test for significance) and visual methods for 
examining any data set in order to provide sufficient and compelling data to support or refute a hypothesis. 
In conducting analyses, the team often needs to iterate and assess assumptions, and must always ensure 
best practices in statistical assessments.
Visualizing and computing errors and variances are very important to understand the statistically 
significant differences in comparisons (e.g., notched box plot). Likewise for scatter plots, it is vital to show 
regression metrics for goodness of fit.
Our analyses and the tools we use build on previous findings and the emergence of new data science 
methods. Machine learning and artificial intelligence, as well as scalable algorithms in open-source 
languages such as R and python, also provide techniques to better understand and combine the wealth of 
air quality data available.

SERIAL 230178-RFP
Products and Documentation. Products and documentation can range from presentations, formal journal 
article(s), or a data exploration dashboard. In all cases, the data analysis approach and results need to be 
presented in a way that the targeted audience can understand.
Methods or Tools. GIS (maps, spatial analysis), HYSPLIT trajectory modeling, R, RShiny, python, EPA’s 
DART, EPA’s QA Dashboards, PMF, CMB, and Excel.
Website Development for Data Visualization and Distribution: All visualizations, reports, and distribution 
mechanisms will leverage a RESTful Application Programming Interface (API) that interacts with the 
centralized data base to enable application-driven calls for querying, updating, inserting, and deleting 
operations.
For data visualization, it may be required to have both internal- and external-facing solutions. Internally, 
analysts and technicians can use an administrative website that enables them to see “at a glance” if 
instruments are operational and data are flowing to the system. It is useful to have customizable views so 
that users can tailor the visualization to fit their specific needs/assignments. Typically, time-series plots 
(e.g., multiple sites, multiple pollutants), instrument diagnostics, and concentration ranges are important. 
In addition, the administrative website facilitates data validation work activities.
Internally, analysts can also use custom tools and dashboards for data and trends analyses. Such tools can 
be developed using R Shiny, R Studio Connect, and/or R or Python, and will interact with the API and 
incorporate various data display graphics such as time series and scatter plots, wind and pollution roses, 
box plots, and geospatial maps and plots.
For public-facing data, the data system can include one or more public-facing website(s) that read data 
from the database using the API. On public-facing websites, all graphics and queries need to be 
understandable by the public, clearly labeled and annotated, responsive, and timely. Useful visualizations 
for the public include pollutant time series, data completeness, and comparisons to instrument detection 
limits and health thresholds (e.g., AQI).
Finally, data reporting needs to include preparing data for submittal to AirNow (preliminary data), to AQS 
(final data), and to other tools such as EPA’s Data Analysis and Reporting Tool (DART, which Sonoma 
Technology developed and continues to improve and operate). Data need to be exportable in formats that 
support data analysis or public queries.
Documentation and Training: Our data management approach includes providing documentation and 
training materials to ensure that the system is well defined and can be understood, used, and updated 
efficiently. Documentation includes technical and functional specifications, as well as a User’s Guide and 
training presentations.
Risks and Contingencies. Risks to measurement projects in meeting data completeness and quality goals 
may include the following:

As we all learned in 2020, COVID-19 (or other health) related problems regarding travel, delays in 
shipments, and personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements may become important. A plan 
for the use of remote access tools and programs (GoPro cameras, collaboration tools such as

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Zoom, remote desktop, etc.) to enable effective remote problem solving is vital (and cost 
effective).

Natural disasters (lightning, earthquake, fire, etc.) that destroy or damage monitoring shelters and 
equipment need to be considered. Instruments need to be grounded and securely fastened to 
racks or shelter walls. Proper insurance is a must.

Theft and vandalism can occur; sites need to be locked and secure. In some cases, 
backup equipment may need to be kept on hand to ensure data completeness goals are 
met.
Milestones/Timelines. An example of milestones and deliverables created for investigating and 
establishing an ambient air monitoring station is provided in Figure 5. In this example, the site was 
already in place but new equipment needed to be purchased and installed.
Figure 5. Milestones and deliverables for investigating and establishing an ambient air 
monitoring station.
Tools: Existing SOPs, QAPPs, and training videos; data telemetry (e.g., AirVision or equivalent); site log; 
and physical tools to aid in installation.
Technologies: SQL, R, python, RStudio Connect, AQS, and RESTful API.
Education and Outreach: Sonoma Technology has spent decades studying and reporting on air quality in 
communities across the U.S. and around the world. Many of these studies were specifically designed to 
address air quality issues impacting underrepresented groups through exposure assessments,
Contract Award
and Work Begins
Measurements
Begin
Complete
Training 
of
Agency Personnel
Submit Feasibility
Analysis
Connect to
AirVision 
Database
6-Month Site Visit
(or Emergency 
Site Visit)
Submit SOPs and
QAPP
Install, Configure,
and Calibrate 
Equipment
Project
Management 
Support
Procure and
Prepare 
Instrumentation
Ship
Instrumentation 
to Sampling Site

SERIAL 230178-RFP
environmental justice, and education and outreach efforts. Through this work, Sonoma Technology has 
highlighted the impact of air pollution on public health, especially as it affects underserved communities.
Sonoma Technology staff have extensive experience in public outreach and education on environmental 
issues, including the design and development of websites and software systems to support notification and 
emergency response systems. Sonoma Technology scientists have developed multiple websites and data 
systems used by agencies across the United States to manage air monitoring data, including the EPA's 
AirNow System and the first-generation Interagency Fuels Treatment Decision Support System (IFTDSS) 
for the Joint Fire Science Program (Figure 6).
Figure 6. Website data systems developed by the Sonoma Technology team; (left) the 
AirNow system for the U.S. EPA, and (right) the Interagency Fuels Treatment Decision 
Support System for the Joint Fire Science Program.
We have developed and operated more than 30 websites for the EPA for both internal project use and 
public outreach. We have also developed website projects that serve underrepresented groups with 
accurate predictions of air quality and wildfire smoke impacts, which help air quality and public health 
managers and the public better prepare for smoke events during fire season. In order to build similar public 
systems for MCAQD, our approach will include designing websites that include dynamic data displays, 
map-based displays, content management systems (so MCAQD can control text content), and email 
notification systems.
Our public outreach and education activities include establishing technical advisory committees (TAC) and 
conducting TAC and public meetings to engage the public and collect feedback. Community outreach and 
education activities would also include information to help the public understand the data that is displayed; 
developing a notification system that alerts the public when air pollutant concentrations of air pollutants reach 
levels of concern; and conducting outreach through a variety of media channels,  including social media, 
mailers, newspaper ads, and outreach events. This work builds upon Sonoma

Technology’s history of supporting engagement with multiple stakeholders, including regulators, 
community leaders, business interests, environmental groups, organized labor, media outlets, and 
others.
Sonoma Technology also previously worked with MCAQD through our Kids Making Sense air quality 
education program in 2016. This outreach education program helped County schools teach students 
about air quality and pollution using hand-held sensors and curriculum developed by Sonoma 
Technology scientists. Our scientists also provided MCAQD with training on the use of the Kids Making 
Sense kits. The Kids Making Sense program has helped teachers and students across the U.S. and 
abroad to measure exposure to air pollution and take action to improve air quality in their communities.
Staff have also contributed to several AB 617 projects funded by CARB to teach community members 
and youth about issues related to environmental justice and designed and coordinated education and 
outreach efforts with communities to develop Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs).
Scientific outreach: The Sonoma Technology team will work with a range of stakeholders in operational, 
research, and planning settings to make sure that scientific findings and lessons learned in MCAQD 
projects are emphasized and shared. For instance, in order to make better predictions of air quality and 
smoke exposures for health research, air quality planning, and policy purposes, it will be important to 
work with research and academic institutions.

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Exhibit C – Office of Procurement Services Contractor Travel and
Per Diem Policy
1.0
All contract-related travel plans and arrangements shall be prior-approved by the County contract 
administrator.
2.0
Lodging, per diem, and incidental expenses incurred in performance of Maricopa County/Special 
District (County) contracts shall be reimbursed based on current U.S. General Services 
Administration (GSA) domestic per diem rates for Phoenix, Arizona. Contractors must access the 
following internet site to determine rates (no exceptions): www.gsa.gov.
2.1
Additional incidental expenses (i.e., telephone, fax, internet, and copying charges) shall 
not be reimbursed. They should be included in the contractor’s hourly rate as an overhead 
charge.
2.2
The County will not (under any circumstances) reimburse for contractor guest lodging, per 
diem, or incidentals.
3.0
Commercial air travel shall be reimbursed as follows:
3.1
Coach airfare will be reimbursed by the County. Business class airfare may be allowed 
only when preapproved in writing by the County contract administrator as a result of the 
business needs of the County when there is no lower fare available. 
3.2
The lowest direct flight airfare rate from the contractor’s assigned duty post (pre-defined at 
the time of contract signing) will be reimbursed. Under no circumstances will the County 
reimburse for airfares related to transportation to or from an alternate site.
3.3
The County will not (under any circumstances) reimburse for contractor guest commercial 
air travel.
4.0
Rental vehicles may only be used if such use would result in an overall reduction in the total cost 
of the trip, not for the personal convenience of the traveler. Multiple vehicles for the same set of 
travelers for the same travel period will not be permitted without prior written approval by the County 
contract administrator.
4.1
Purchase of comprehensive and collision liability insurance shall be at the expense of the 
contractor. The County will not reimburse a contractor if the contractor chooses to purchase 
this coverage.
4.2
Rental vehicles are restricted to sub-compact, compact, or mid-size sedans unless a larger 
vehicle is necessary for cost efficiency due to the number of travelers. (NOTE: Contractors 
shall obtain pre-approval in writing from the County contract administrator prior to rental of 
a larger vehicle.)
4.3
County will reimburse for parking expenses if free, public parking is not available within a 
reasonable distance of the place of County business. All opportunities must be exhausted 
prior to securing parking that incurs costs for the County. Opportunities to be reviewed are 
the DASH, shuttles, etc. that can transport the contractor to and from County buildings with 
minimal costs.
4.4
County will reimburse for the lowest rate, long-term, uncovered (covered or enclosed 
parking will not be reimbursed) airport parking only if it is less expensive than shuttle 
service to and from the airport.
4.5
The County will not (under any circumstances) reimburse the contractor for guest vehicle 
rental(s) or other any transportation costs.

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5.0
Contractor is responsible for all costs not directly related to the travel except those that have been 
pre-approved by the County contract administrator. These costs include, but are not limited to, the 
following: in-room movies, valet service, valet parking, laundry service, costs associated with 
storing luggage at a hotel, fuel costs associated with non-County activities, tips that exceed the per 
diem allowance, health club fees, and entertainment costs. Claims for unauthorized travel 
expenses will not be honored and are not reimbursable.
6.0
Travel and per diem expenses shall be capped at 15 percent of project price unless otherwise 
specified and approved by the County in individual contracts.
7.0
Contractor shall provide, (upon request) with their invoice(s), copies of receipts supporting travel 
and per diem expenses, and, if applicable, with a copy of the written consent issued by the County 
contract administrator. No travel and per diem expenses shall be paid by County without copies of 
the written consent as described in this policy and copies of all receipts.