COMMUNITY CENTER PROJECT
Afshin Oskoui
City Manager
September 8, 2026
Design-Build Procurement Framework & Project Labor Agreement Evaluation Community Center Project
Preparing Belmont to Move from Community Investment to Project Delivery • The existing Community Center has significant deferred maintenance, aging infrastructure, and program limitations.
• The community has expressed a desire to address these needs and ensure the facility can safely serve Belmont for generations to come.
• A future project should address seismic, electrical, fire-life-safety, and accessibility requirements, while incorporating resiliency features that allow the facility to support the community during emergencies.
• If the November 2026 Measure Y is approved, the City should be positioned to move efficiently from funding authorization to project implementation.
What is before Council today
Establish the framework now so the City is ready to move forward if the community provides the resources to do so.
Why Act Now
The citizen-led Measure Y on the November 2026 ballot could fund the Community Center. Establishing the delivery framework now — before an election — lets the City move efficiently if voters approve.
TODAY
Sept 8, 2026
Council authorizes delivery framework &
PLA evaluation
→
ELECTION
Nov 2026
Voters decide on the parcel tax funding
measure
→
IF APPROVED
Early 2027
City moves directly from funding to
procurement — no delay
This action does not commit the City to construction, scope, or cost — it prepares the tools to decide efficiently.
Community Center Project | City Council | September 8, 2026 3 Design-Bid-Build (DBB) Design-Build (DB) Progressive Design-Build (PDB)
Basic Model Design first → bid → construct One team designs + constructs Design-build team selected
early, scope & price developed
progressively
Contract Structure 2 contracts: Designer +
Contractor 1 contract: Design-Builder 1 contract: Design-Builder, with progressive pricing
Designer / Contractor
Relationship Separate Integrated Integrated from the outset Price Certainty High at bid, but changes can
occur during construction
Established earlier, but design
assumptions may drive risk
Developed collaboratively as
design advances
Owner Control Highest during design Less direct design control High early involvement and decision control
Risk Allocation Owner retains more
design/interface risk
More risk transferred to
Design-Builder
Risk identified and allocated
collaboratively
Collaboration Sequential / limited High Very high / continuous Speed to Construction Typically slower Faster
Can accelerate while
maintaining owner
involvement
Flexibility / Innovation Lower High High
Best Fit Well-defined, conventional
projects
Projects where speed and
single-point responsibility are
priorities
Complex projects where scope,
risks and solutions need to
evolve
Design-Build as the Delivery Strategy
Project Delivery Methods: At a Glance
Bottom-line message
DBB: “Design it. Bid it. Build it.”
DB: “One team. One contract. Faster delivery.”
PDB: “Select the team early. Collaborate on the solution. Establish the price with greater certainty.”
For a complex public project: Progressive Design-Build can provide a useful middle ground, combining early contractor expertise and collaboration with owner involvement, design development, and progressive cost/risk validation.
Design-Build as the Delivery Strategy
Project Delivery Methods: At a Glance
Two Paths Forward
Staff recommends preserving flexibility to choose the better fit after further evaluation.
Conventional Design-Build
Select after requirements are defined
Straightforward procurement once
program is defined
Stronger price & schedule commitments
earlier
Best where scope is already well
developed
Requires more decisions resolved before
selection
Progressive Design-Build
Select early, develop together
Construction expertise engaged earlier in
design
Team evaluates scope, cost & schedule
together
Well suited when requirements are still
evolving
Requires strong owner-side project
management
Community Center Project | City Council | September 8, 2026 5 Project Labor Agreement: Evaluate & Return to Council
Staff is recommending only authorization to begin evaluating a project-specific agreement alongside the design-build decision. Any negotiated PLA returns to Council for approval.
Project-specific
Applies only to the
Community Center
Project
Labor stability
No-strike / no-lockout &
dispute-resolution
provisions
Workforce
development
Apprenticeship &
training opportunities
Community benefits
Measurable local &
targeted workforce
outcomes
Contractor
participation
Effect on prime &
subcontractor pool, incl.
non-union firms
Cost transparency
Effect on labor costs,
pricing & competition
Administrative capacity
Compliance monitoring
& contract
administration needs
Council approval
Any negotiated PLA
returns for final approval
Community Center Project | City Council | September 8, 2026 6 Develop evaluation criteria, bonding & insurance
requirements
Fiscal Impact & Next Steps – Upon Voter Approval
NO CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATION
This action authorizes preparatory project
development costs only — procurement
preparation, legal review, Owner's Representative
services, and potential labor counsel or
compliance support.
Council retains future decision points on:
Project scope • Funding • Design-build selection
• Negotiated price / GMP • PLA approval •
Construction authorization
Next Steps
1 Finalize delivery strategy & selection criteria
2 Prepare RFQ/RFP program and procurement documents
3 4 Consult financial advisor & bond counsel on financing strategy
5 Begin PLA discussions & evaluate cost, terms, workforce benefits
6 Return to Council with recommended delivery method & PLA Community Center Project | City Council | September 8, 2026 7 The Recommendation
Adopt a resolution authorizing staff to establish a design-build framework and evaluate a Project Labor Agreement — so the City is ready to act if November funding is approved. 1 Authorize design-build Use design-build delivery for the Community Center Project under Public Contract Code authority.
2 Evaluate both approaches Assess conventional vs. progressive design-build and recommend the best fit.
3 Prepare procurement strategies Develop evaluation criteria, conflict-of-interest rules, bonding, insurance, and contract terms.
4 Explore a Project Labor Agreement Begin evaluating — not approving — a project-specific PLA alongside the delivery method.
5 Return to Council before commitment Final PLA terms and procurement strategy come back for approval before any construction contract.
Community Center Project | City Council | September 8, 2026 2 Be Ready to Deliver
This action doesn't commit Belmont to construction — it ensures the City can move efficiently from funding to implementation if voters approve the November measure.
Staff recommends Council adopt the attached resolution.
Thank you!
belmont.gov
Questions & Discussion