Staff Report
City Council
Item No. {{section.number}}.A
Meeting Date: May 14, 2025
From: John A. Corella, Director of Public Works
Title: Award Agreements for On-Call Engineering Division Support Services RECOMMENDATION:
To approve ten (10) professional service agreements for on-call engineering services; and authorize the City Manager to execute all agreement documents with the following companies:
1. NAI Consulting, Inc., Interwest Consulting Group, Fomotor Engineering, Inc., and HR Green, Inc., for on-call engineering support services for various city Engineering Division projects;
2. NAI Consulting, Inc. and TKE Engineering, Inc. for on-call engineering support and grant administration services for various state and federally funded transportation projects;
3. Capital Building Services, Inc., NV5, Inc. and Z&K Consultants, Inc. for on-call construction engineering services; and
4. CASC Engineering and Consultants, Inc. for on-call National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) consulting services.
BACKGROUND:
The Engineering Division oversees a range of on-call support consultants who offer specialized services that are not provided by full-time staff. These services include traffic engineering, general municipal engineering support, assistance with state and federal contracts, material testing, surveying, plan checking, and inspections related to the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Additional services include support for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs and labor compliance. These consultants may also develop project plans and specifications for Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects or grant applications.
This agenda item is for agreements related to the following services:
•On-call engineering support services for various city Engineering Division projects •On-call engineering support and grant administration services for various state and federally funded transportation projects
•On-call professional construction engineering support services •On-call NPDES consulting services
On-Call Engineering Support Services for various City Engineering Division Projects The city has effectively used on-call consultants to provide engineering support services for a variety of city projects. Current tasks assigned to these consultants include:
1. Designing and supporting construction for minor capital improvement projects
2. Performing various plan check services
3. Coordinating and managing real property acquisition
4. Assisting with grant evaluation and related support
5. Providing administrative support as needed
6. Supporting developer-led projects
On-Call Engineering Support and Grant Administration Services for Various State and Federally Funded Transportation Projects
The city also engages on-call consultants to provide engineering support services for state and federally funded projects. Grouping projects under this funding category allows most, if not all, engineering service costs to qualify for state and/or federal reimbursement.
Consultants performing this work are required to meet Caltrans and federal qualifications, adhere to disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) guidelines, and fulfill all eligibility requirements necessary for the city to receive reimbursement.
State and federally funded projects that are scheduled to continue or begin in the upcoming fiscal year include:
•HSIP 9A Traffic Safety Improvements at Twelve Intersections •HSIP 11A Citywide Pedestrian Crosswalk Upgrades
•HSIP 11B Signalized Pedestrian Crossings
•HSIP 11C Citywide Traffic Signal Hardware Upgrades
•HSIP 11D 30 th Avenue and San Eljay Avenue Pedestrian Crossing Upgrades •HSIP 12A Pedestrian Crossing Enhancements
•HSIP 12B Pedestrian Crossings at Uncontrolled Locations •Ramon Road Bridge Widening
•Vista Chino Bridge
The scope of work for on-call engineering support services related to state and federally funded projects includes the following tasks:
1. Identify grant opportunities, prepare applications and support documentation, evaluate and develop project budgets, and complete required federal forms.
2. Ensure all services are performed in compliance with current Caltrans, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), or other applicable state and federal policies and procedures.
3. Assist in preparing both formal and informal requests for proposals (RFPs) for design and/or construction projects, and review and summarize submitted proposals.
4. Monitor and report on project progress, including budget-to-actual expenditures and contract time vs. actual time tracking.
5. Develop and maintain detailed project schedules.
6. Prepare correspondence, reports, and memoranda necessary for the administration of various state and federally funded transportation projects.
On-Call Professional Construction Engineering Support Services The city has engaged construction engineering support consultants to assist with several CIP projects, including:
•ATP Cycle 5: Cathedral Canyon Drive Sidewalks and Multiuse Trail & Date Palm Drive Expansion projects - services provided: Construction management, labor compliance monitoring and enforcement, inspections, and material testing. •HSIP Cycle 10: Pedestrian Crossing at Ramon Road and Candlewood Drive - services provided: Labor compliance monitoring and enforcement, inspections, and material testing.
•Esperanza Park - services provided: Labor compliance monitoring and enforcement.
Based on the demonstrated efficiency and cost-effectiveness of utilizing construction engineering support consultants, city staff propose formalizing professional construction engineering support services as a specialized on-call service within the Engineering Division.
On-Call NPDES Consulting Services
The city employs on-call consultant services to ensure compliance with the Whitewater River Regional Permit and to manage its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program, aimed at protecting the local watershed. Key requirements include tracking best management practices (BMPs) during and after construction, performing routine inspections of industrial and commercial businesses, documenting good housekeeping practices in the maintenance of city facilities, and recording investigations into illegal connections and illicit discharges. These activities are compiled and reported annually to the Regional Water Quality Control Board.
DISCUSSION:
The city engineering staff solicited four (4) separate RFPs for the following on-call engineering support services:
•On-call engineering support services for various city Engineering Division projects •On-call engineering support and grant administration services for various state and federally funded transportation projects
•On-call professional construction engineering support services •On-call NPDES consulting services
All RFPs were advertised in The Desert Sun on March 23, 2025, and March 30, 2025.
Additionally, the RFPs were posted on the city’s website from March 23, 2025 through April 16, 2025.
Companies were given until April 16, 2025, to submit proposals. Companies were asked to provide cost proposals that included hourly rates and/or unit costs for various services in a separate, sealed envelope, all per state and federal proposal submittal/review requirements.
All proposals were reviewed by a panel consisting of four members of Public Works staff.
The panel cited all companies provided proposals that were responsive, qualified and knowledgeable about the requirements for the various tasks and understanding of Cathedral City and its projects. The rating summary of the panel’s review is attached.
On-Call Engineering Support Services for Various City Engineering Division Projects Proposals for on-call engineering support services for various city Engineering Division projects were received from seven (7) companies:
NAI Consulting, Inc. Cathedral City, CA
Interwest Consulting Group San Diego, CA
HR Green, Inc. Palm Desert, CA
Fomotor Engineering, Inc. Palm Springs, CA
TKE Engineering, Inc. Palm Desert, CA
CSG Consultants, Inc. Orange, CA
Albert A Webb Associates Riverside, CA
The Engineering Division is looking for two (2) or more consulting companies to provide these specialized engineering support services. Having two or more companies to provide these on-call services will assure the staff that if one company does not have the capacity to take on additional work, there is the option to use the other. In the most recent biennial contracts, four (4) consultant companies were selected, which provided a greater ability for the Engineering Division to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously.
The scores from the review ranked NAI Consulting, Inc. (NAI), Interwest Consulting Group (Interwest), Fomotor Engineering, Inc. (Fomotor), HR Green, Inc. (HR Green) with the highest ratings. These four companies submitted work proposals which provided assurance that, if selected, the performance of any of the typical and/or extraordinary tasks that may be ordered by city staff would be completed in a timely manner.
Following the scoring of the companies, the cost proposals of the four (4) companies were opened and reviewed using state and federal requirements for evaluating proposals. The cost proposals received from the four (4) companies are consistent with current costs and in line with the city’s expectations for these costs of services.
On-Call Engineering Support And Grant Administration Services for Various State and Federally Funded Transportation Projects
Proposals for on-call engineering support services for various state and federally funded transportation projects were received from the following three (3) companies:
NAI Consulting, Inc. Cathedral City, CA
Interwest Consulting Group San Diego. CA
TKE Engineering, Inc. Palm Desert, CA
NAI Consulting, Inc. (NAI) and TKE Engineering, Inc. (TKE) received the highest scores during the evaluation process. Both companies submitted work proposals that demonstrated their capability and commitment to completing typical and/or specialized tasks requested by city staff in a timely and efficient manner.
After the scoring process, the cost proposals from NAI and TKE were opened and reviewed in accordance with state and federal guidelines for proposal evaluation. the submitted costs were found to be consistent with current market rates and aligned with the city’s expectations for these services.
On-Call Professional Construction Engineering Services
Proposals for on-call professional construction engineering services for various city projects were received from the following four (4) companies:
Capital Building Services, Inc. Rancho Mirage, CA
NV5, Inc. Palm Desert, CA
Qvadrant Consulting, Inc. Palm Desert, CA
Z&K Consultants, Inc. Riverside, CA
Capital Building Services, Inc. (Capital), NV5, Inc. (NV5), and Z&K Consultants, Inc. (Z&K) received the highest ratings during the evaluation process. All three companies submitted work proposals that assured the city that, if selected, they would complete any typical and/or specialized tasks requested by city staff in a timely and efficient manner.
After the companies were scored, the cost proposals from Capital, NV5, and Z&K were opened and reviewed in accordance with state and federal proposal evaluation requirements. The cost proposals from all three firms were found to be consistent with current market rates and aligned with the city’s expectations for these services.
On-Call NPDES Consulting Services
Proposals for on-call NPDES consulting services were received from the following three (3) companies:
CASC Engineering and Consulting, Inc. Palm Desert, CA
MSA Consulting, Inc. Rancho Mirage, CA
Charles Abbot Associates, Inc. Mission Viejo, CA
The review scores ranked CASC Engineering and Consulting, Inc. (CASC) as the most responsive, qualified, and knowledgeable firm regarding the requirements of the NPDES Program. Additionally, CASC has served as the on-call consultant for NPDES services for Cathedral City for over five (5) years, reinforcing their understanding of the city’s specific requirements. The work proposal submitted by CASC assured staff that, if selected, they would complete typical and/or specialized tasks requested by city staff in a timely and efficient manner.
After the companies were scored, the cost proposal from CASC was opened and reviewed in compliance with state and federal proposal evaluation requirements. The submitted cost proposal aligns with current market rates and meets the city’s expectations for this type of service.
City staff recommend that the City Council approve ten (10) professional service agreements for on-call services and authorize the City Manager to execute all agreement documents with the following companies:
1. NAI Consulting, Inc., Interwest Consulting Group, Fomotor Engineering, Inc., and HR Green, Inc., for on-call engineering support services for various city Engineering Division projects.
2. NAI Consulting, Inc. and TKE Engineering, Inc., for on-call engineering support and grant administration services for various state and federally funded transportation projects.
3. Capital Building Services, Inc., NV5, Inc., and Z&K Consultants, Inc., for on-call construction engineering services.
4. CASC Engineering and Consulting, Inc., for on-call National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) consulting services.
FISCAL IMPACT:
These specific on-call consulting services are currently budgeted under the Engineering Division’s Professional and Technical Services account (100-100-150-156-8600-8601) and are included in the City’s FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27 Biennial Budgets.
City staff will negotiate task orders for each required service based on the hourly rates and unit prices outlined in the agreements. The total costs and funding sources for each task order will be identified as they are issued. If a task order exceeds the Public Works Department’s purchasing guidelines, City Council approval will be obtained prior to the issuance of a notice to proceed.
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN:
Goal C: Fiscal Stability and Sustainability
Action C-2: Develop an inventory of contract services that are due for bid and request proposals.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Proposal Evaluations
2. NAI Agreement- City Projects
3. Interwest Agreement- City Projects
4. Fomotor Agreement- City Projects
5. HR Green Agreement- City Projects
6. NAI Agreement- State and Federal Projects
7. TKE Agreement- State and Federal Projects
8. Capital Agreement – Construction Engineering
9. NV5 Agreement- Construction Engineering
10.Z&K Agreement- Construction Engineering
11.CASC Agreement- NPDES Consulting Services