REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL
To:Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From:Jason Simpson, City Manager
Prepared by:Damaris Abraham, Community Development Director Date:June 25, 2024
Subject:Professional Services Agreements for On-call Building Plan Check and Inspection Services
Recommendation
Approve and authorize the City Manager to execute three (3) Agreements for Professional Services with TRB and Associates, SFA and Associates, and Bureau Veritas to provide on-call building plan check and inspection services in the amount of $180,000 per firm per fiscal year, in such final form as approved by the City Attorney.
Background
The Building and Safety Division of Community Development Department, as a part of the development process, requires a review of private development projects for compliance with the Conditions of Approval, City Ordinances, City Standards, and the California Building Code (CBC).
Adherence to these requirements ensures that structures are safe for the types of occupancies required by the proposed types of use of structures. Because the need for these services is dependent on the activity level of development, the City uses City Staff and contract firms that have the flexibility to provide staff to accommodate the fluctuation in workload.
Discussion
On March 5, 2024, the City posted on Planetbids a request for qualifications and proposals from qualified professional engineering consulting firms to provide plan check review services. Eleven proposals were submitted on or before the due date of April 1, 2024. All proposals were reviewed and satisfied the City’s requirements as specified in the request for qualification. Additional review and proposal evaluation determined four firms should be considered in an interview evaluation process.
Plan Check Services Agreements
1 2
3 5
The building official and staff reviewed the proposals. Each firm’s proposal was evaluated, and these three firms were determined to be the top three. Listed below are the three firms in lineal sequence beginning with the highest evaluation and most responsible firm:
Firm Fee
TRB and Associates 65 % of Plan Check Fee
SFA and Associates 68 % of Plan Check Fee
Bureau Veritas 60 % of Plan Check Fee
The primary evaluation criteria extended beyond cost and pricing methods and included the below essential elements:
•Cost methodology and determination for invoicing the City •Staffing for Structural Engineer for Structural reviews and provide structural plan check for the subject structure’s frame and foundations for full compliance with all State, County and City requirements
•Perform Commercial, Industrial, and Residential plan checks •Perform Building, Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing plan checks •Perform CASP certified, Green Building, and Title 24 plan checks •Plan Check Firm will review and approve the structural plans, and the associated structural analyses and calculations for full conformance with all requirements. •Complete the initial plan check within two (2) weeks and complete each subsequent recheck within one (1) week
•Forward a complete copy of all the cited plan check issues to the Building Manager upon completion of the initial plan check
•Submit a copy of the plan check issues/comments log upon conclusion of the engineering plan check/recheck. The log shall capture the Engineer of Record’s responses and the final resolution of the plan check issues along with a written statement to the Building Manager stating that in their professional opinion, the engineering design of the subject building structure and all associated structural calculations, analyses and plans are in full compliance with the State, County and City requirements. Forward two copies of their approved plans, structural analyses and calculations to the Building Manager •Provide general consulting services and contract review services as requested by the City Building Manager
All of the recommended firms provided excellent responses to these specific scope of work conditions. Also, these firms separated themselves from the competing firms by providing a billing concept based on percent of fee collected vs an hourly rate. Through this process the fee for performing plan check review services has been lowered from the current amount of 75% to 65%.
Staff is recommending awarding three (3) agreements to ensure that there is adequate service coverage due to an increasingly demanding environment both within the City and in surrounding communities.
Plan Check Services Agreements
1 2
3 5
Fiscal Impact
The cost of plan check services is paid for by applicants requesting building permits and as such there are no General Funds allocated or used in the processing of the plan checks. All staff administrative time and consultant costs are paid by the applicant.
Attachments
Attachment 1 – TRB and Associates Agreement
Exhibit A – TRB Proposal
Attachment 2 - SFA and Associates Agreement
Exhibit A – SFA Proposal
Attachment 3 – Bureau Veritas Agreement
Exhibit A – BV Proposal