7 1
2 DATE: January 21, 2025
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council President and Members of the Estero Municipal Improvement District (EMID) Board of Directors
VIA: Stefan Chatwin, City/District Manager
Marlene Subhashini, Assistant City/District Manager
FROM: Andrew Brozyna, Public Works Director/City/District Engineer Laura Galli, Engineering Manager
Ryan Marquez, Senior Engineer
DEPARTMENT: Public Works
SUBJECT: AWARD OF A MASTER AGREEMENTS WITH SELECTED FIVE (5) CONSULTANTS FOR PROFESSIONAL ON-CALL WATER
AND WASTEWATER ENGINEERING SERVICES AND ONE (1)
FOR GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING SERVICES
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council/EMID Board of Directors (City Council) adopt the attached resolutions authorizing:
1. The Mayor/President to execute six (6) master agreements for a three-year term for professional on-call services in Water & Wastewater Engineering (EKI, Freyer & Laureta, HydroScience, Schaaf & Wheeler, & Wilsey Ham) and Geotechnical Engineering services (Langan CA, Inc.); and
2. Staff to issue task orders for a not-to-exceed amount for City funded projects as outlined in the City’s procurement policy, and without limitation for non-City funded projects (those that support private land development review which are reimbursed by the developer or private utility company); and
3. The City/District Manager (City Manager) to extend the agreement on a yearly basis for up to two (2) additional years.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
7 1
2 The Public Works Engineering Division is responsible for the delivery of the City's Capital Improvement Projects (CIPs). The Department uses consultants on CIP projects, private development projects, and for on-call professional services as needed.
On call services assist staff in specific areas of technical and professional expertise.
The approval of the attached master agreements will provide professional consultant support for current and future CIPs as well as supporting ongoing programs including land development review overseen by the Engineering Division.
The proposed action is consistent with the City’s Purchasing Policy. Use of multi-year master agreements assists the timely delivery of CIPs and other programs/projects to maintain the City’s infrastructure and levels of service by augmenting staffing resources experiencing higher demand. It also serves as a risk management tool to quickly address emergencies, shifting priorities, and staff vacancies/extended leaves. The authorization of the master agreements does not award any work to any of these firms; it establishes the firms as approved resources from which to seek professional services as needs are identified. Following execution of the master agreements, staff will request cost information and a scope of work from firms in their respective disciplines as needs arise. For non-City funded projects and tasks such as those that support private land development review which are reimbursable, the costs of any services would be authorized at the staff level and would be “passed through” to the developer or utility company. For City funded projects, if the cost of any scope of work exceeds the City Manager’s purchasing authority, staff will bring the task order to the City Council prior to authorizing the work to proceed.
Approval of the attached resolutions tonight will establish on-call master agreements with five (5) firms in the discipline of water and wastewater engineering. It will further correct the legal firm name of one of the previously executed geotechnical engineering agreements from Langan, Inc. to Langan CA, Inc.
BACKGROUND
The City utilizes consultants for professional engineering services and other specialty professional services on CIPs and private land development projects, to support the operations of the Public Works Department as a standard practice. Services provided assist staff in specific areas of technical and professional expertise.
Currently, there are 42 funded and 28 future planned CIPs identified in the City’s FY 24- 25 5-year Capital Improvement Program. The City Council has consistently authorized the use of consultant support services to enhance the level of expertise available to staff to deliver the City’s Capital Improvement Program and support private land development review.
At its September 18, 2023 City Council/District Board meeting, the Council/Board adopted City Resolution No. 2023-92 and EMID Resolution No. 3745 authorizing staff to issue the Request For Proposals/Qualifications (RFP/Q) and initiate the consultant selection process for the following on-call services: Construction Management and 7 1
2 Inspection, Architectural Engineering, Water and Wastewater Engineering, Landscape Architecture, Corrosion Engineering, Cost Estimation, and Geotechnical Engineering.
The RFP/Q was posted on the Foster City website and distributed to over 100 engineering and specialty consulting firms, and an agency that advertises projects for the benefit of consultant clients. The City received a total of sixty-five (65) proposals. An evaluation committee consisting of staff from Engineering, Parks & Recreation, and Public Works Maintenance reviewed and scored the proposals for their area(s) of expertise.
On August 5, 2024, the City Council/District Board adopted City Resolution No. 2024- 76 and EMID Resolution No. 3769 awarding master agreements for eighteen (18) on- call consultants for the categories of Construction Management, Architectural Engineering, Landscape Architectural, Geotechnical Engineering, Corrosion Engineering, and Cost Estimation services. One of the geotechnical engineering firms (Langan, Inc), has since legally changed its name.
Ten (10) of the original sixty-five (65) proposals received, were in the water and wastewater engineering category. The evaluation committee also reviewed and scored these proposals. The recommended firms have been determined to be well qualified, in addition to meeting the criteria established by the RFP/Q.
ANALYSIS
The City’s Public Works Department is responsible for planning, building, and maintaining the City’s infrastructure. The Department is comprised of administration and engineering; streets and traffic signal maintenance; water, wastewater, and stormwater maintenance and operations; levee and lagoon maintenance and operations; facilities maintenance operations; solid waste operations; as well as managing the parks system CIP. The Public Works Engineering Division is responsible for the management and delivery of the City’s Capital Improvement Program for all the critical City Infrastructure managed by each of these operating divisions.
Master agreements are an efficient tool to provide technical staff support and reduce the time required to identify qualified firms while adhering to City/District Purchasing Policy. This enables the City/District to respond quickly to needs by utilizing a consulting firm’s services on an as-needed basis for a specific activity. These services are temporary and obtained only for the length of time needed to complete the tasks and/or project.
A master agreement that involves on-call professional services only provides a list of qualified and vetted consulting firms. Once a master agreement is in place with the firm identified, staff interacts with these firms on an as-needed basis to find the most appropriate level of expertise and knowledge to carry out a specific task or project.
The approval of an award to five (5) water & wastewater engineering firms would 7 1
2 provide the City with additional depth of resources and expertise to draw upon. These firms often have limited staff serving many jurisdictions and therefore establishing a master agreement with only one (1) firm could slow down response times. Each of the selected firms has experience providing similar services to municipalities around the Bay Area.
Water & Wastewater Engineering
The selected firms (EKI, Freyer & Laureta, HydroScience, Schaaf & Wheeler, & Wilsey Ham) shall provide the following services:
1. Conduct Preliminary Design
2. Prepare Construction Contract Documents and Estimates
3. Provide Bidding and Construction Support
4. Prepare Record Drawings and Warranty Inspection
5. Land Development Review of public and private improvements
6. Perform and/or review various studies related to the impacts of land development on existing infrastructure, and validate the need for improvements to increase system capacity.
7. Prepare the Urban Water Management Plan and other water and wastewater related studies/plans as required.
Geotechnical Engineering
Langan CA, Inc. was previously awarded a master agreement MSA at the Council/Board’s August 5th 2024 meeting. Since then, the firm’s legal name has changed from Langan, Inc. to Langan CA, Inc. This change was deemed substantive and requires re-approval of the master agreement by the governing body.
For the water, wastewater and geotechnical engineering services, the selected firms will work under the Engineering Manager and the respective Project Engineers. A letter proposal will be requested from a firm when services are required. The letter proposal will set forth the scope, fee, personnel, and schedule of performance for the task. Staff will review the letter and negotiate scope and fee. The letter proposals will be approved through a task order under the master agreement for a not-to-exceed amount for City funded projects ; and without limitation for non-City funded projects such as those that support private land development review which are reimbursable and costs “passed through” to the developer or utility company.
The master agreement includes the same language as the City’s standard professional services agreement, and will specify the billing rates, personnel to be assigned, and other terms as identified in the City’s standard professional services agreement. The master agreement has been reviewed by the City Attorney. Each agreement will be for three (3) years from January 21, 2025 through January 20, 2028, with an option to extend yearly for up to two (2) additional years.
Many CIPs will utilize one or more of these contracts for design and construction services. Priority projects that are expected to utilize these contracts include: Add Third 7 1
2 Lagoon Pump and Related Infrastructure (CIP 301-717), Large Water Meter Replacements Project (CIP 405-704), Permanent Emergency Bypass Transmission Main on E. Third Ave (New CIP), Shell Bridge Sanitary Sewer Force Main Rehabilitation (CIP 455-710), and Sanitary Sewer Lift Station Improvements Phase 6 (455-719).
California Environmental Quality Act
This action is categorically exempt pursuant to the adopted Guidelines for the Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act, Section 15061(b)(3), in that it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that this action will have a significant effect on the environment and does not involve approval of any specific project that may have a significant effect on the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
The authorization of the attached master agreements would not result in a direct expenditure of City resources. Tasks would be assigned through the master agreement to meet the needs and demands identified for each future fiscal year through the adoption of the annual operating budget and the Capital Improvement Program.
The contract amount for services would be identified for each project, depending on the scope of work/services, and the number and type of professionals/technicians used.
The costs of these services are budgeted in the operating program or capital project for which the services are needed or paid for by the fees obtained from developers for any work associated with land development projects. No additional appropriations are requested at this time. If a scope of work exceeds the City Manager’s authority of $50,000, staff will return to the City Council to seek approval to award the task. Tasks that support private land development review are reimbursable, and the costs of these services would be authorized at staff level. Staff collects a deposit from the developer based on the negotiated proposal amount prior to the work being performed.
CITY COUNCIL VISION, MISSION, AND VALUE/PRIORITY AREA
Facilities and Infrastructure
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 – City Resolution
Attachment 2 – EMID Resolution
Attachment 3 – Master Agreement Water and Wastewater Engineering – EKI Attachment 4 – Master Agreement Water and Wastewater Engineering – Freyer & Laureta
Attachment 5 – Master Agreement Water and Wastewater Engineering – HydroScience 7 1
2 Attachment 6 – Master Agreement Water and Wastewater Engineering – Schaaf & Wheeler
Attachment 7 – Master Agreement Water and Wastewater Engineering – Wilsey Ham Attachment 8 – Master Agreement Geotechnical Engineering – Langan CA, Inc.