Staff Report
City Council
Item No. {{section.number}}.A
Meeting Date: June 26, 2024
From: John A. Corella - Director of Public Works
Title: Award Agreement for Design Professional Services to STC Traffic, Inc. for the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), Cycle 11C, Citywide Traffic Signal Hardware Upgrades Project.
RECOMMENDATION:
To award a Professional Services Agreement to STC Traffic, Inc. in the amount of $84,688.93 to prepare the plans, specifications, right of way and environmental documents for the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), Cycle 11C, Citywide Traffic Signal Hardware Upgrades Project (CIP C08756); and authorize the City Manager to execute the contract.
BACKGROUND:
The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) is a core Federal-aid program with the purpose to achieve significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads, including non-State-owned public roads and roads on tribal land. The HSIP is one of programs in the Federal Surface Transportation Act, establish in August 2005.
The California local HSIP program funds local highway safety improvement projects on a two-year Call-for-Projects cycle. The timing and size of the call is determined by the program apportionments, current HSIP Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP) capacity and the delivery of the existing HSIP Projects.
The Division of Local Assistance (DLA) manages California’s local agency share of HSIP funds. California’s Local HSIP prioritizes infrastructure projects with nationally recognized crash reduction factors (CRF). Local HSIP projects are ranked on the basis of crash severity, crash potential, crash rate, or other data-supported means.
On June 25, 2021, the City completed the final Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP) which provides a framework for identifying, analyzing, and prioritizing roadway safety improvements on local roads. The LRSP is the basis for current and future HSIP grant application requests.
In August 2022, the City Council approved a task order with the City’s On-Call Traffic Engineering Consultant, STC Traffic Inc., to prepare four (4) grant applications for the HSIP Cycle 11 Call-for-Projects. In September 2022, the applications were completed and submitted to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans).
In March 2023, Cathedral City was awarded HSIP funds in the amount of $1,008,000 to complete the preliminary engineering (PE) phase and the construction phase for the Citywide Traffic Signal Hardware Upgrades Project (HSIP Cycle 11C Project). The proposed improvements include installation of LED safety lighting, internally illuminated street name signs (IISNS), and traffic signal backplates with retroreflective borders at forty-nine (49) signalized intersections throughout the City. A vicinity map of the proposed intersections is included as Attachment 1.
In February 2024, Caltrans assigned a Federal Project Number for the HSIP Cycle 11C Project and approved the Authorization/Agreement Summary (E-76) for funding the PE phase of the project.
The Professional Design Services Agreement will allow the city to proceed with the Preliminary Engineering Phase including environmental studies and final design.
DISCUSSION:
Following the receipt of notification of the grant award from Caltrans, staff requested a Federal Project Number [HSIPL-5430(041)] and the allocation of funds to initiate the design of the project. Staff received Caltrans’ approval of funding to proceed on February 13, 2024.
City Staff solicited a Request for Proposals (RFPs) for the design portion of HSIP Cycle 11C Project. The RFP for these services was advertised in the Desert Sun on April 19, 2024, and posted on the City’s website from April 19, 2024, until May 3, 2024.
Within the RFP, engineering consultants specializing in this type of work were asked to provide their qualifications to perform the work. Additionally, cost proposals were required to be provided in a separate sealed envelope. All proposals were submitted to the City by May 3, 2024.
Four firms responded to the RFP and are listed below:
Advantec Consulting Engineers, Inc. Irvine, CA
Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. Palm Desert, CA
STC Traffic, Inc. Carlsbad, CA
Willdan Engineering San Bernardino, CA
Proposals were reviewed, evaluated, and scored by Engineering Department staff using Federal and State evaluation protocols. Based on the evaluations, STC Traffic, Inc. (STC) was determined to be the most qualified consultant. Staff reviewed STC’s cost proposal and determined that the cost proposal is within the amount allocated by the HSIP grant for the services to be provided and the valuation of the Project.
Staff is requesting City Council to award a Professional Services Agreement to STC Traffic, Inc. in the amount of $84,688.93 to prepare the plans, specifications, right of way and environmental documents for the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), Cycle 11C, Citywide Traffic Signal Hardware Upgrades (CIP C08756); and authorize the City Manager to execute the contract.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The HSIP Cycle 11 is a 90%-10% reimbursement ratio grant (the city’s participation is 10%).
This project is listed in the FY2023-2024 Capital Improvement Program with an overall programmed budget amount of $1,120,000.
STC’s proposal for the preliminary engineering of the Citywide Traffic Signal Hardware Upgrades Project (CIP C08756) is in the amount of $84,688.93.
The Preliminary Engineering (PE) for the HSIP Cycle 11C Project (CIP C08756) will be funded with Capital Improvement Program Funds (Fund 331) in the amount of $76,220.04, and Traffic Safety Fund (Fund 233) in the amount of $8,468.89, as shown below.
DESCRIPTION GENERAL
LEDGER
ACCOUNT
CODES
PROJECT
CODE
AMOUNT ONE TIME or
ONGOING
2023-2024 HSIP 11C Grant
Fund (90%)
331-100-150-
156-8600-8601 C08756 $76,220.04 ONE TIME
2023-2024 Traffic Safety
Fund (10%)
233-100-150-
156-8600-8601 C08756 $8,468.89 ONE TIME
2023-2024 Total $84,688.93
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.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. HSIP 11C - Vicinity Map
2. STC Traffic Inc. - Work Proposal
3. STC Traffic Inc. - Cost Proposal
4. STC Traffic Inc. - Professional Design Services Agreement
5. Proposal Evaluation and Ranking