For City Council Meeting [July 12, 2016]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Michael E. Story, City Administrator
FROM: Robert G. Eisenbeisz, P.C., Public Works Director/City Engineer
Title
Request City Council to Authorize the Release of Request for Proposals No. 17-001 for various “On-Call” Professional Design, Plan Check, Inspection, and Civil Engineering Services.
Body
BACKGROUND:
One of the important functions of the Public Works Department is to perform plan check and inspection of private development and public infrastructure improvements. In private land development projects, an owner or developer will typically engage their own engineering consultant to prepare the required improvement plans for both on-and off-site improvements, including rough grading, precise grading/paving, storm drains, streets, traffic signals and other associated improvements. The City Engineer has the legal responsibility to review and approve plans, as well as ensure that construction of the improvements is in accordance with approved plans and City standards.
In addition, the Public Works Department is responsible for a variety of public projects associated with the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and the City’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program in accordance with federal and state grant administration requirements. This work includes design of projects, development of plans, specifications and engineering estimates, preparation of bid documents, award of bids for various projects, and construction management and inspection to ensure that the work complies with the approved plans, specifications, and applicable City standards.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
Due to the number of both Private Development Projects and CIP Projects, the Public Works Department has an ongoing need for on-call professional services, including Architectural Design, Construction Management, Engineering Design, Plan Checking, Geotechnical, Inspection, Landscape Design, Park Facility Design, Right of Way Engineering, and Traffic Engineering. Staff has prepared Request for Proposals No. 17-001 (the “RFP”) to solicit proposals from professional firms to provide professional services for various “On-Call” professional design and engineering services. The RFP is included as Attachment 1.
The RFP identifies the following schedule for the process to select a consulting firm:
Notice requesting Proposals posted and issued Thursday, July 14, 2016
Deadline for receipt of Questions Monday, August 1, 2016, 3:00 P.M.
Deadline for receipt of Proposals Thursday, August 11, 2016, 3:00 P.M.
Short List / Interviews/Technical & Cost Proposals Thursday, August 25, 2016
Contract awarded by City Council Tuesday, September 27, 2016
The RFP will be advertised in the San Bernardino County Sun newspaper, posted on the City’s website, and distributed to various plan rooms throughout Southern California.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
The requested City Council action is not a “Project” as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to Section 15378(a), a “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. According to Section 15378(b), a Project does not include: (5) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY:
This action is consistent with Guiding Principle 3A in the General Plan:
Our City government will lead by example, and will operate in an open, transparent, and responsive manner that meets the needs of the citizens and is a good place to do business.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed and approved the staff report and RFP No. 17-001.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Limited costs are associated with the release of the RFP, generally less than $500 associated with publication of the Notice in local newspapers.
For private land development projects, the City collects a plan checking and inspection fee from each developer sufficient to cover the fees to be paid out to consultants. Upon receipt of payment from a developer, the City recognizes revenues collected in the General Fund Engineering Land Development Revenue Account No. 010-400-7262-7613.The budget for the services is included in the adopted FY2016-2017 budget.
For public projects, the City allocates a portion of each project’s budget towards Design Services, Construction Management, Inspection, and other project support activities. Under the proposed RFP, the Consultant shall provide an hourly rate schedule and as the need arises, provide a cost proposal for the needed professional services with City Council approval on a case-by-case basis. Funds for the various public projects shall be identified at the time of request for authorization. The budget for the services anticipated in FY2016-17 is included in the adopted City budget for FY 2016/2017.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council Approve Request for Proposals No. 17-001 for Various “On-Call” Professional Architectural and Engineering Services, and authorize its release to the public.