CED Committee
January 14, 2025
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Jestin D. Johnson FROM: William Gilchrist
City Administrator Director, Planning and
Building Department
SUBJECT: On-Call Plan Check, Inspections, and
Declared Emergency Response for
Damage Assessment Report Review
Services
DATE: January 2, 2025
City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution:
Authorizing The City Administrator To Extend The Following Professional Services Agreements For Additional Two -Year Terms While Also Continuing to Waive the City’s Local/Small Local Business Enterprises (LBE/SLBE) Program and RFP/Q requirements for the firms not meeting the requirements, Provided the Authorized Contract Amounts Are Not Exceeded As Follows:
1. CSG Consultants, Inc., 4Leaf, Inc., And West Coast Code Consultants, Inc. For On-Call Plan Check, Inspections And Public Right Of Way Plan Review Services In The Amount Not To Exceed The Previously Authorized Contract Amounts Of Two Million Six Hundred And Fifty- Five Thousand Dollars ($2,655,000) For Each Firm; And With TRB + Associates, Inc. And Bureau Veritas North America, Inc. For On -Call Plan Check And Inspections Services In The Amount Not To Exceed The Previously Authorized Contract Amounts Of Two M illion Four Hundred And Sixty Thousand Dollars ($2,460,000) For Each Firm; And
2. CSG Consultants, Inc., 4Leaf, Inc., And West Coast Code Consultants, Inc. For Declared Emergency Response For Damage Assessment Report Review, Plan Check, Inspections And Public Right Of Way Plan Review Services In The Amount Not To Exceed The Previously Authorized Contract Amounts Of Six Hundred And Twenty Thousand Dollars ($620,000) For Each Firm; And With TRB + Associates, Inc.
And Bureau Veritas North America, Inc. For Damage Assessment Report Review, Plan Check And Inspections Not to Exceed The Previously Authorized Contract Amounts Of Hundred And Twenty Thousand Dollars ($520,000) For Each Firm; And
3. Making Appropriate California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Findings.
Jestin Johnson (Jan 2, 2025 21:56 PST)
Jan 2, 2025
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: On-Call Plan Check, Inspections, and Damage Assessment Report Review Services
Date: January 2, 2025 Page 2
CED Committee
January 14, 2025
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The professional services agreements for on-call plan check, inspections and public right-of-way plan review need to be extended for the City of Oakland (City) to continue providing timely services for both new and existing private development projects. Funding for the work will be fully paid by the requesting applicants, but the not -to-exceed amounts for each agreement will not change from the amounts previously authorized by City Council through Resolution No. 87962 in 2019.
The professional services agreements for declared emergency response are needed to provide timely damage assessment report review, plan check, inspections and public right -of-way plan checks in the event of federally declared disaster. Funding for the declared emergency response contract will initially come from the Development Service Fund Balance (Fund 2415), and by fees paid by requesting applicants. In the event of a federally declared natural disaster, at least 75 percent of the funds for the services provided in the contract may be eligible for Federal Reimbursement through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to repay use of fund balance.
The proposed action requested of the City Council is limited to authorizing the City Administrator to extend the term for these professional services agreements for a period of two years . The request does not authorize any additional money be spent beyond the authorization the Council granted for the professional services agreements under Resolution No. 87962, which Council passed on December 10, 2019.
BACKGROUND/ LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
The Oakland Fire Prevention Bureau in the Oakland Fire Department (OFD), the Building Bureau in the Planning and Building Department (PBD), and the Division of Strategic Planning in the Oakland Department of Transportation (DOT) work cooperatively to assist builders, property owners, architects, engineers, and realtors in understanding and processing development permits related to building construction, including residential development projects that are subject to state-mandated streamlining timelines such as those set forth in the recently passed AB 2234.
As such, these plan check and inspection duties must be completed within a timely manner for the City to comply with State law.
One of the many functions of these plan check staff is to review and approve building permit proposals for compliance with local Planning entitlements and the current edition of the California Building Standards Code (Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations), and the local amendments to the California Building Standards Code, which can be found in the Oakland Building Construction Code [Oakland Municipal Code (O.M.C.) Chapter 15.04], the Oakland Building Maintenance Code (O.M.C. Chapter 15.08), and the Oakland Fire Code (O.M.C. Chapter
15.12).
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: On-Call Plan Check, Inspections, and Damage Assessment Report Review Services
Date: January 2, 2025 Page 3
CED Committee
January 14, 2025
Plan check and inspection staff’s review of a building project proposals for code compliance is a critical component and a required step to ensure that structures are built in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations, including safety, accessibility, and energy conservation.
Timely damage assessment report review, inspections, plan- check and public right -of-way plan review services are of the utmost importance after a declared emergency.
On-call plan check, inspections and public right of way plan check services will be fully funded by applicants requesting these services through their application fees paid into the Development Services Fund (Fund 2415).
After a declared emergency, damage assessment report review, plan check, inspections and public right -of way -plan review services will be initially funded by the fund balance from the Development Services Fund (Fund 2415), and later repaid by local, state or federal reimbursements and by fees paid by requesting applicants.
On December 10, 2019, the City adopted Resolution No. 87962, which authorized the City Administrator to enter into Professional Services Agreements with: (A) CSG Consultants, Inc., 4Leaf, Inc., and to West Coast Code Consultants, Inc. for on- call plan check, inspections and public right of way plan review services for a three- year term in the amount not to exceed two million six hundred and fifty -five thousand dollars ($2,655,000) each, with two one- year options to extend the contract in the amount of eight hundred and fifty -five thousand dollars ($885,000) per year; and (B) TRB + Associates, Inc. and Bureau Veritas North America, Inc. for on-call plan check and inspection services in the amount not to exceed two million four hundred and sixty thousand dollars ($2,460,000) each, with two one- year options to extend the contract in the amount of eight hundred and twenty thousand dollars ($820,000) per year; and (C) CSG Consultants, Inc., 4Leaf, Inc., And West Coast Code Consultants, Inc. for declared emergency response for damage assessment report review, plan check, inspections, and public right of way plan review services in the amount not to exceed six hundred and twenty thousand dollars ($620,000) each; and (D) TRB + Associates, Inc. and Bureau Veritas North America, Inc. for damage assessment report review, plan check and inspections in the amount not to exceed five hundred and twenty thousand dollars ($520,000) each.
The City Administrator requests that the City Council extend the term of the professional services agreements referenced in the above recital, which Council authorized through Resolution No. 87962, for a period of two years each. The City Administrator is not requesting that the professional services agreements’ compensation amounts change at this time, given the compensation limit for each Agreement has not been exceeded.
PBD and OFD desire to continue contracting with all five of the qualified firms who responded to the 2019 RFQ as indicated in the above title. DOT desires to contract with three of the five qualified firms who responded to the 2019 RFQ as indicated in the above title. The City Council waived the City’s Local/Small Local Business Enterprises (LBE/SLBE) Program requirements for the firms not meeting the requirements, which were CSG Consultants, Inc., TRB + Associates, Inc., and West Cost Code Consultants, Inc. The Council is also authorizing the same waiver for these extensions.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: On-Call Plan Check, Inspections, and Damage Assessment Report Review Services
Date: January 2, 2025 Page 4
CED Committee
January 14, 2025
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
Adopting the proposed Resolution will enable the City to extend the term of existing contracts with a total of five consulting firms to provide supplemental engineering plan checking and inspections of building permit applications to maintain acceptable turnaround times during periods with a high volume of activity. The proposed Resolution will also ensure the City will have additional capacity to perform inspections, plan checks and review damage assessment reports after a declared emergency. Continuing to contract with five firms will provide the City with flexibility to distribute work as-needed, to maximize the benefits to the development community while accounting for the work backlog of both staff plan reviewers and each consultant.
Extending the agreements just ensures a continuation of permit -checking services without increasing the amount of authorized funding permitted for these agreements until a renewed RFP process is conducted for new firms, and that proposal returns to Council. This meets the Citywide goal of providing a continuation of City development services, while also having the extension be short enough to ensure the City Administration returns with a renewed RFP process and proposal for Council consideration.
FISCAL IMPACT
The on-call service agreement for WC3 Inc., 4Leaf, Inc., and CSG consultants Inc. will be for an amount not-to-exceed $2,655,000 each, which was the previously authorized contracts amounts under Resolution No. 87962. The requested action proposed here, and through the attached Resolution, is simply to extend the term of the contracts by two years.
The on-call service agreement for TRB + Associates Inc., and Bureau Veritas North America Inc., will be for an amount not-to-exceed $2,460,000 each for an additional two years. Funding for the on-call contract work will be fully paid by the requesting applicants. As a result, approval of the Resolution will allow the City Administrator to appropriate these applicant funds as they are received for the additional two-year term. Approval of this resolution does not have a negative impact on the City's budget.
The Declared Emergency Response Agreement for WC3 Inc., 4Leaf, Inc., and CSG consultants Inc. will be for an amount not- to-exceed $620,000 each. The Declared Emergency R esponse Agreement for TRB + Associates Inc., and Bureau Veritas North America Inc. will be for an amount not-to-exceed $520,000 each, over the term as extended.
Funding for the declared emergency response contract will initially come from the Development Service Fund (Fund 2415). The funds will be paid back to the Development Service Fund from federal reimbursements and by fees paid by requesting applicants.
All of the above “not to exceed” limits were authorized by prior Resolution No. 87962.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: On-Call Plan Check, Inspections, and Damage Assessment Report Review Services
Date: January 2, 2025 Page 5
CED Committee
January 14, 2025
The bidding, contracting, and purchasing processes were conducted in accordance with O.M.C.
2.04.051 for professional services contracts. The City's procurement system, iSupplier, was used for distribution of the 2019 RFQ and it was also formally advertised in the East Bay Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and posted with the International Code Council, the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, National Fire Protection Association, Structural Engineers Association of California, and the American Institute of Architecture.
The City is currently conducting additional outreach for a renewed RFP process for firms to provide development services work. The City Administration will return to City Council either in 2025 or early 2026 with a new proposal for Council consideration. This proposed two -year extension is meant to simply ensure the continuation of development services for the short -term while the current RFP process is being conducted.
COORDINATION
This report and proposed Resolution were coordinated with PBD’s Bureau of Building, OFD Fire Prevention Bureau, DOT Strategic Planning Division, and reviewed by the City Attorney's Office and the Budget Bureau.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: Expedited plan check services will result in quicker issuance of building permits and subsequently, building construction. New construction creates jobs during construction and new buildings result in new residences and/or businesses in Oakland. In the event of a declared emergency, the added capacity to make damage assessments and provide plan check services will minimize the economic impact on the residents of the City.
Environmental: These services contracts would provide assistance on development projects throughout Oakland that would adhere to City environmental standards. In the event of a declared emergency, the added capacity will allow us to identify potential environmental hazards in a timely manner and address them as swiftly as possible.
Race and Equity: These services contracts would provide assistance on development tprojects throughout Oakland that would ensure that the City's resources are distributed equitably to its residents and ensure the timely delivery of services that contribute to economic vitality across every Council district.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution:
Authorizing The City Administrator To Extend The Following Professional Services Agreements For Additional Two -Year Terms While Also Continuing to Waive the City’s Local/Small Local Business Enterprises (LBE/SLBE) Program and RFP/Q Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: On-Call Plan Check, Inspections, and Damage Assessment Report Review Services
Date: January 2, 2025 Page 6
CED Committee
January 14, 2025
requirements for the firms not meeting the requirements, Provided the Authorized Contract Amounts Are Not Exceeded As Follows:
1. CSG Consultants, Inc., 4Leaf, Inc., And West Coast Code Consultants, Inc. For On-Call Plan Check, Inspections And Public Right Of Way Plan Review Services In The Amount Not To Exceed The Previously Authorized Contract Amounts Of Two Million Six Hundred And Fifty- Five Thousand Dollars ($2,655,000) For Each Firm; And With TRB + Associates, Inc. And Bureau Veritas North America, Inc. For On -Call Plan Check And Inspections Services In The Amount Not To Exceed The Previously Authorized Contract Amounts Of Two M illion Four Hundred And Sixty Thousand Dollars ($2,460,000) For Each Firm; And
2. CSG Consultants, Inc., 4Leaf, Inc., And West Coast Code Consultants, Inc. For Declared Emergency Response For Damage Assessment Report Review, Plan Check, Inspections And Public Right Of Way Plan Review Services In The Amount Not To Exceed The Previously Authorized Contract Amounts Of Six Hundred And Twenty Thousand Dollars ($620,000) For Each Firm; And With TRB + Associates, Inc.
And Bureau Veritas North America, Inc. For Damage Assessment Report Review, Plan Check And Inspections Not to Exceed The Previously Authorized Contract Amounts Of Hundred And Twenty Thousand Dollars ($520,000) For Each Firm; And
3. Making Appropriate California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Findings.
For questions regarding this report, please contact Susan Olson, Administrative Analyst II, Planning and Building Department, at [email protected] o r 510 -238-6250.
Respectfully submitted,
ALBERT MERID.
Acting Director,
Planning and Building Department
Prepared by:
Susan Olson
Administrative Analyst II, Planning and Building
Department