BACKGROUND:
The City of Cathedral City new biennial budget was approved in May and continues to reflect significant Capital Improvement work focused on roadways, traffic signals and active transportation via Federal and State funding sources. As a result, the design and the construction of these infrastructure projects continue.
To accomplish the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) goals, the City has found it both efficient and cost effective to biennially bid out for “on call” and/or “as needed services” that provide a specialized service, rather than having full time personnel on Staff that are specialized in that skill set. Regularly called upon to assist the City's Public Works Department (Engineering and Public Works Maintenance Divisions) are civil engineering professionals.
The current State and Federally funded projects that City Staff are working on include:
the Da Vall Drive/I-10 Interchange, the Ofelia Bringas Memorial Bridge (aka Cathedral Canyon Bridge), CVAG/ATP Cycle 5 Cathedral City Downtown Connectors, HSIP Cycle 9A Traffic Signals Improvements, HSIP Cycle 9B Roadway Safety Improvements on Date Palm Drive/Varner Road, HSIP Cycle 10 Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon Crossing at Ramon Road and Candlewood Drive, HSIP Cycle 11-1 Citywide Pedestrian Crosswalk Upgrades (18 intersections), HSIP Cycle 11-2 Pedestrian Signals for 30 th Avenue/Avenida La Paz and Cathedral Canyon Drive/Ortega Drive, HSIP Cycle 11-3 Citywide Traffic Signal Hardware Upgrades (49 intersections), and HSIP Cycle 11-4 Pedestrian School Crossing at 30 th Avenue and San Eljay Avenue. By grouping these projects under the State and Federally funded category, many or most of the costs expended for these services may be eligible for state and federal reimbursement.
On May 24, 2023, the City Council awarded a 2-year On-Call Engineering Support and Grant Administration Services for State and Federally Funded Projects Contract to NAI Consulting Inc and Interwest Consulting Group. As part of these awards, it was noted that City Council approval will be obtained prior to issuance of the task orders under this contract.
DISCUSSION:
The ten projects listed above are at a time-consuming juncture in the plan preparation, reviewing, processing, and/or bidding processes which leaves limited time for City staff to monitor or manage the activities, especially related to the significant paperwork that these State and Federal projects require for funding reimbursement.
Staff has selected NAI to perform the engineering assistance in making sure that all the State and Federal paperwork and nuances related to such are completed under each projects’ respective program guidelines. NAI is qualified under Caltrans requirements, to meet their guidelines and eligibility requirements for reimbursements.
Additionally, NAI’s support also provides training for the less experienced staff to understand the State and Federal processes and paperwork required to complete a project.
Some of the overall tasks that NAI will be charged with under these task orders are:
•Coordination with CVAG, RCTC, and Caltrans
•Prepare and submit CVAG and Caltrans project invoices
•General project management
•Review consultant invoices
•Review submittals
•General consultant management
•Assist in preparing RFPs for design services
•Assist in preparing bid packages for construction services All costs will be charged at the On-Call Services approved rates. According to Section 4 of the NAI Contract (per Caltrans provisions), the City is required to provide each task order with an approved budget before the consultant can officially start reimbursable work.
Staff is requesting that the City Engineer be authorized to execute task orders to NAI Consulting, Inc. (NAI) in the not-to-exceed amounts shown below as part of NAI's 2-year contract for On-Call Engineering Support and Grant Administration Services for State and Federally Funded Projects:
TASK
ORDER
#
DESCRIPTION AMOUNT
01 Da Vall Drive Interchange $ 15,000.00
02 Ofelia Bringas Memorial Bridge $ 10,000.00
03 ATP Cycle 5 - Downtown Connectors $ 15,000.00
04 HSIP Cycle 9 – Traffic Signals Modifications $ 25,000.00 05 HSIP Cycle 9 – Date Palm Dr./Varner Rd $ 25,000.00
06 HSIP Cycle 10 – Ramon Rd. Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon $ 10,000.00 07 HSIP Cycle 11 – Pedestrian Crosswalk Upgrades (18 intersections) $ 25,000.00 08 HSIP Cycle 11 – Pedestrian Signals at 2 intersections $ 25,000.00 09 HSIP Cycle 11 – Traffic Signal Hardware Upgrades (49 intersections) $ 25,000.00 10 HSIP Cycle 11 - Pedestrian School Crossing 30th Ave./San Eljay Ave. $ 25,000.00 FISCAL IMPACT:
Funds for these services will come from the City’s Capital Improvement Program’s Capital Projects Fund 331 as designated for each project.
These Task Orders are eligible for reimbursement under the guidelines of State and Federal Programs, and will be funded by State, Federal or local share moneys within the particular Project’s costs.
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN:
GOAL B: COMMUNITY INVESTMENT
Objective: Cathedral City roads, gateways, public spaces, and other city infrastructure are well planned, designed, constructed, and maintained.