DATE: 08/06/2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Public Works Department
2025-305
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBJECT:
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH MICHAEL BAKER
INTERNATIONAL, INC. TO PROVIDE CONSULTING SERVICES FOR TRANSIT
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE CITY OF CORONA TRANSIT SERVICE, REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO. 25-030AT, IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,421,578 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to approve the Professional Services Agreement with Michael Baker International, Inc., for consulting services to provide transit technical assistance to carry out the activities outlined in the final report of the Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA). City Council approved the Final COA Plan at the August 16, 2023, Council meeting.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council:
a. Award Request for Proposal No. 25-030AT to Michael Baker International, Inc., for consulting services for Transit Technical Assistance for the City of Corona Transit Service.
b. Approve the Professional Services Agreement with Michael Baker International, Inc. in the amount of $1,421,578 for the period of August 6, 2025, through January 30, 2029.
c. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute the Professional Services Agreement with Michael Baker International, Inc., in the amount of $1,421,578 for the initial contract term ending January 30, 2029, including any non-substantive extensions, change orders, purchase orders, and amendments up to 10% or $142,157.
d. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to issue a purchase order to Michael Baker International, Inc., in accordance with the duly authorized and executed agreement.
e. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to submit to the Riverside County Transportation Commission an amendment to the adopted FY25/26 Short Range Transit Plan requesting an additional $885,000 in State Transit Assistance funds to account for costs directly related to carrying out tasks related to the implementation of the Projects.
f. Authorize an additional appropriation in the amount of $885,000 within the Transit Services Fund 577 to be allocated to the following projects and increase revenue estimates by the same amount:
Citywide Bus Stop Improvements, Capital Improvement Project No. FC2022-19 – Increase by $355,000 Intelligent Transportation System for Transit, Operating and Maintenance Project No. 76530 – Increase by $235,000
Hydrogen Fueling Station, Capital Improvement Project No. FC-2024-09 – Increase by $175,000
Infrastructure for Battery Electric Buses, Capital Improvement Project No.
FC-2024-10 – Increase by $40,000
Replacement of Buses, Operating and Maintenance Project No. 76580 – Increase by $80,000
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
The City of Corona Transit Service (CCTS) operates its transit services under the Dial-ARide (DAR) and Corona Cruiser fixed-route services. The City contracts with MV Transportation, a private transit management company, to operate both services. The DAR service is comprised of specialized demand response and ADA-complementary paratransit service. This service provides curb-to-curb transportation to qualified individuals, seniors 60 and older, and persons with disabilities, while door-to-door service is available to those certified under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) program administered by the Riverside Transit Agency (RTA).
The Corona Cruiser is a network of two fixed routes, the Red Line and the Blue Line.
These routes provide access to local businesses, retail stores, parks, entertainment venues, municipal services, schools, work, and residential areas. They also connect RTA’s regional bus routes, the Corona Transit Center, and the North Main Corona Metrolink Train Station.
On December 21, 2021, the City Council awarded a contract to Transportation Management & Design, Inc. (TMD) to conduct a Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA), a study of the City’s transit services. Following the study and extensive outreach, TMD developed the COA Final Report, which the City Council approved on August 16, 2023. The City Council approved Scenario Two (2) of the proposed service recommendation as outlined in the final report of the COA. The final plan is available at Comprehensive Operation Analysis | City of Corona.
The Final Report included recommended transit service improvements and associated implementation activities. Implementing the service recommendations requires a major overhaul of the current services. Therefore, staff sought the services of a consultant to assist with planning and implementing the activities and projects listed in the report.
ANALYSIS:
On July 3, 2024, a Request for Proposal 24-083AT, Consulting Services for Transit Technical Assistance for the City of Corona Transit Service, was posted on Planet Bids but yielded no proposal submissions. Twenty-two prospective bidders were notified.
Staff reached out to the potential list of bidders for their feedback and were told that they were either competing for other projects, needed more clarification, or did not have the resources to handle the large scope. The second solicitation was posted on November 13, 2024, which incorporated feedback received from the bidders, including holding a preproposal meeting. While four potential bidders had expressed interest in submitting a proposal, only one proposal was received through Planet Bids by the due date on January 20, 2025, from Michael Baker International, Inc.
The RFP requested a detailed proposal for the following core project tasks:
1. Transit Planning and routing, including developing new route schedules, procuring micro transit software, marketing and public information, and service implementation.
2. Bus stop upgrades will include assessing existing bus stops, documenting their physical condition and compliance with ADA accessibility requirements, identifying and designing new bus stops, and developing bus stop standards to guide the assignment of amenities at bus stops.
3. Deployment of zero-emission bus technologies to comply with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) Regulation.
4. Deployment of an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) to modernize operations and enhance passenger experience.
5. Fleet procurement will include the purchase of replacement buses and new ADAaccessible vans for the micro transit program.
Michael Baker International, Inc. submitted a $1,421,578 cost proposal by project task.
Project Task Cost
Project Management $ 302,204
Bus Stop Upgrades $ 348,957
Transit Planning $ 157,448
ITS $ 230,712
ZEB - Hydrogen Infrastructure $ 205,790
Bus Procurement $ 79,570
Public Engagement $ 56,877
SUBTOTAL $ 1,381,558
Escalation - Other Direct Costs (ODC) $ 40,020
TOTAL $ 1,421,578
An evaluation committee comprising of City staff and representative members from Riverside Transit Agency and the Riverside County Transportation Commission was formed to evaluate the proposal. The evaluation of the proposals was based on four (4) essential criteria:
1. Completeness of Response (Pass or Fail)
2. Qualification of Firm (25%)
3. Qualification of Personnel (35%)
4. Work Plan/Project Understanding and Approach (40%)
5. Value (No score given)
After careful review of all information submitted and analysis of the various components of overall firm qualifications, work plan, and technical compliance, the evaluation team‘s consensus was that the Michael Baker International, Inc. (MBI) team exhibits the essential skills, experience, and staffing required for the implementation of the project’s scope of work. However, two follow-up meetings were set up to ensure MBI’s understanding of the City’s scope of work to ensure the work plan entailed full implementation activities.
MBI submitted a follow-up work plan along with a Best and Final Offer.
Staff recommend that the City Council approve the Professional Services agreement with Michael Baker International, Inc., for RFP 25-030AT.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
As noted below, funding for recommended actions a through d is available within multiple projects throughout the full term of the agreement.
Project Project No. Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 3.5 Total Citywide Bus Stop Improvements FC-2022-19
178,866
172,352
- -
351,218
Comprehensive Operations Analysis
Implementation (Operational Tasks) 78490
215,483
199,349
91,9232
45,331
552,085
Hydrogen Fueling Station FC-2024-09
46,797
111,467
13,415 -
171,679
Infrastructure for Battery Electric Buses FC-2024-10
11,624
22,121
2,662 -
36,407
Intelligent Transportation System for
Transit 76530
98,929
133,263
- -
232,192
Replacement of Buses 76580
29,468
31,020
17,509 -
77,997
Total $ 581,166 $ 669,572 $ 125,509 $ 45,331
$
1,421,578
The total funding required for operational tasks over the full term of the agreement is $552,085. In addition to the operational tasks, and to ensure full funding of all projectrelated activities over the next 3.5 years, staff will submit to RCTC an amendment to the adopted FY 25/26 through FY 27/28 Short Range Transit Plan requesting additional funding to support tasks related to the capital improvement and operating and maintenance projects listed below. Approval of recommended actions e and f will result in an additional appropriation in the amount of $885,000 within the Transit Services Fund 577 to be allocated to the following projects and increase revenue estimates by the same amount.
Project Project No. Amount
Citywide Bus Stop Improvements FC-2022-19 355,000
Hydrogen Fueling Station FC-2024-09 175,000
Infrastructure for Battery Electric Buses FC-2024-10 40,000 Intelligent Transportation System for Transit 76530 235,000 Replacement of Buses 76580 80,000
TOTAL $ 885,000
RCTC has been made aware of this request and suggested that staff submit the amendment after the Council awards the contract.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action merely awards the contract for consulting services, and there is no possibility that approving this project will have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.”
PREPARED BY: SUDESH PAUL, TRANSIT PROGRAM MANAGER
REVIEWED BY: SAVAT KHAMPHOU, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Exhibit 1 – Professional Services Agreement