United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
OS-420 (WF)
EPA 500-F-92-004
May 1992
vvEPA
Controlling UST Cleanup Costs
Fact Sheet 4:
Managing The Process
Playing Your Part
You are both a supervisor and a customer when managing a
site assessment or cleanup. As a supervisor, you need to
know how to get the best cleanup for your money. You can
find this out by studying a copy of your State's regulations
on Underground Storage Tank (UST) cleanups, which are
available from your State UST program. Most States have
a fund to help UST owners pay for cleaning up tank leaks.
The fund is generally managed by the State Fund
Administrator. Check with your State Fund Administrator
to see if you're eligible to receive these funds and to learn
about other requirements (for example, invoices).
As the supervisor, you manage the contractor; don't let
the contractor manage you. Your contractors should have
demonstrated their understanding of State UST regulations
during the bidding process. But by knowing the regulations
yourself, you can ensure that your cleanup will meet State
standards and increase your chances of payment from the
State Fund. You can help yourself even more by reminding
the contractor to stick to the scope of work and by
inspecting the site while work is being done as often
as possible.
As a customer, you can expect
work to be
completed for the agreed upon price or some reasonable
approximation of that price. Pay more attention to what's
being done than to the rates being charged. Paying high
rates for necessary work is more valuable than paying low
rates for unnecessary work.
Keep an eye on tasks that contractors tend to overdo.
Check with your State Fund or UST program to see if they
limit the following activities:
• Excavating and hauling soil
• Sending soil and water samples to the lab for testing
• Installing monitoring wells
Controlling Costs
As a supervisor and as a customer, you are responsible for
keeping costs in line. When weighing the numbers:
• Know: What the State Fund for USTs
will or will not pay for. Question the
contractor on the need to
perform certain tasks and
on the prices for tasks.
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• Check: With your State UST program to see if it has a
schedule of reasonable rates for standard site assessment
and cleanup procedures.
• Require: Contractors to get your written permission to
perform tasks not included in the scope of work.
• Visit: The site regularly and question the need for on-
site personnel and equipment, especially if they are not
working. Make some unannounced visits.
• Investigate: New methods of treating soil on-site as
opposed to hauling soil off-site for treatment or disposal.
Your State UST program may have requirements about
this.
• Account For: All costs and services arid get dates on all
invoices. Your State Fund Administrator may need dated
forms and invoices to process your request for payment.
• Scrutinize: Your bill with your contrac tor. Compare the
prices for projected work to the charges for completed
work; make sure everything is justified.
• Make Sure: Expensive senior staff aren't doing work
that less experienced staff could perform, for example, soil
sampling. Ensure that staff with the necessary skills are
carrying out the work.
Documentation
Ask the contractor to keep a daily log of activities that can
be inspected upon request. This protects you from being
overcharged, and it provides information for the State Fund
Administrator should questions arise about your claims
for payment.
Require invoices on a regular basis. Sit down with your
contractor and go over the first invoice to make sure you
both understand what is required. Feel free to ask your
contractor to justify questionable charges. The need for
good detailed invoices can't be overstated.
And Remember: The sooner a spill is cleaned up, the
better. The longer you wait, the more the damage will
spread and the more the cleanup will cost.
Fact Sheet 4 was developed by the Environmental
Protection Agency's Office of Underground Storage
Tanks in conjunction with State Fund Administrators.
It is one of a series; the others are: Hiring a
Contractor, Negotiating the Contract, Interpreting the
Bill, and Understanding Contractor Code Words. For
copies of these fact sheets or more information,
contact your State Fund Administrator for USTs
and/or your State Underground Storage Tank
program.
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