CITY OF PACIFICA
COUNCIL AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
4/27/2026
1 SUBJECT:
Approval of Consultant Services Agreement between the City of Pacifica and GHD, Inc. for Design and Engineering Services related to the Pacifica Pier Rehabilitation Project.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt a Resolution Authorizing a Consultant Services Agreement with GHD, Inc. for design and engineering services in the amount of $656,533.00 in connection to the Pacifica Pier Rehabilitation Project; approve budget authority in the amount of $788,000.00 which includes 20% contingency and authorize the City Manager to execute all documents related with the project.
STAFF CONTACT:
Rey Soriano, Assistant Civil Engineer
(650) 676-5608
[email protected]
Roland Yip, P.E., Deputy Director of Public Works/City Engineer (650) 738-3771
[email protected]
Melissa Tigbao, P.E., Director of Public Works
(650) 501-6016
[email protected]
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:
In January 2021, high tides and large waves caused significant damage to a forty-foot section of the Pacifica Municipal Pier’s west-facing deck and concrete railing, prompting an immediate assessment by Public Works Engineering. Following this event, the City hired GHD, Inc. (GHD) to conduct a comprehensive handrail condition assessment. The report stated that the section of the Pier running parallel to the shoreline, where the railing was broken from the Pier deck, would need to be fenced off and closed to public access. The report also noted that railing sections identified as severely damaged that were within the area of the pier running perpendicular to the shoreline should be repaired within a year period. A follow-up structural report completed in summer 2022 provided updated findings indicating that railing deterioration was occurring more slowly than originally anticipated. While several panels still required replacement within two years, the full railing system was projected to need replacement over approximately ten years.
Following the updated structural report in 2022, the City sought and secured grant funding from California State Parks and the California Coastal Conservancy, and staff worked with GHD to design a project that would replace all railings at once to reduce repeated mobilization costs and future closures. On June 27, 2022, City Council moved to reject all bids and re-bid the project due to the one bid received of $3.2 million, which was significantly over the Engineer’s Estimate Pacifica City Council 2
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of approximately $800,000. The scope was adjusted and project was re-bid to include only the most deteriorated railing sections. On October 24, 2022, City Council moved to reject all bids again due to the bid amount of $1.4 million being significantly higher than the $960,000 budget for the project. Given consistently high bid prices, limited available funding, and concerns raised by both funding agencies about undertaking construction without fully understanding the pier’s broader structural condition, staff determined that a complete structural assessment of the entire pier was necessary. The City Council also awarded GHD a contract to perform this full structural assessment at the October 2022 meeting, following updated inspection findings indicating that the railing deterioration rate was slower than previously anticipated, allowing additional time to complete the repair work.
The full structural assessment, 2023 Pier Condition Assessment Report, documents the assessment methodology, field observations, evaluations, and recommendations for potential repairs. The estimated cost to complete the recommended repairs for the handrails, girder, deck, and piles was estimated with a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) of $11 million. The assessment did not include the additional damage sustained during the December 28, 2023 high tide and large wave event; a subsequent evaluation determined that the western end of the main pier and the L‑section are in serious condition and should be repaired within two years, while the remaining portions of the main pier are in poor condition and should be addressed within four years, along with ongoing inspections following major storm events and annual evaluations to monitor deterioration.
The structural reports for the Condition Assessment of Pier Handrails - 2022, 2023 Pier Condition Assessment Report, and Post Storm Condition Assessment - April 2024 can be viewed at: www.cityofpacifica.org/pier.
The Pacifica Pier Rehabilitation Project will include comprehensive structural evaluation, engineering design, and preparation of plans, specifications, and cost estimates (PS&E) for phased repairs to the pier. The project will address deteriorated structural components including piles, deck elements, and handrails, and will prioritize critical safety-related repairs while supporting long-term resilience of this publicly accessible coastal facility. The design will be phased into three construction phases, prioritizing repairs to the most deteriorated portions of the Pier first, given the significant level of funding required for full rehabilitation.
The City of Pacifica submitted a Community Project Funding (CPF) request to its congressional representative in April 2023. The project was subsequently included in federal appropriations legislation approved by Congress and signed into law. Funding was then allocated through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which issued a $963,000 grant to support engineering, design, and planning efforts for the rehabilitation of the Pacifica Pier Rehabilitation Project.
To implement this work, the City initiated a competitive procurement process for professional design and engineering services. The Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued through the City’s formal procurement process via OpenGov on February 2, 2026. A total of seventy-one (71) firms downloaded the solicitation documents, and four (4) firms submitted proposals by the March 6, 2026 deadline.
1. GHD Inc.
2. Moffatt & Nichol
3. Foth
4. Wilsey Ham
Proposals were evaluated and scored by three City staff engineers, with final scores compiled on March 26, 2026. GHD, Inc. received the highest overall score among the four proposers and Pacifica City Council 3
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was determined to be the most qualified firm to perform the required services.
Staff have successfully worked with GHD, Inc. on several city projects and have been satisfied with their work. GHD, Inc. is a global, multidisciplinary professional company providing clients with integrated solutions including engineering, architecture, environmental and construction management. They have expertise in many aspects of civil design and are also familiar with the City.
The City Manager recommends adopting the resolution and approving the Consultant Services Agreement between the City of Pacifica and GHD, Inc. (Attachment "A"), for design and engineering services.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION:
Council may choose not to authorize the agreement for design and engineering services for the Pacifica Pier Rehabilitation Project. However, this would delay the preparation of plans and specifications needed to address existing structural deficiencies and could result in continued deterioration of the pier, prolonged closures, and potential safety risks to the public. Staff does not recommend this alternative action.
RELATION TO CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND WORK PLAN:
Approval of these actions is consistent with the following Council adopted Goals:
• Stewardship of City Infrastructure - Includes repairing/replacing outdated city facilities, improving streets stormwater and wastewater infrastructure and responding to impacts of sea level rise and other effects of climate change. Adopting the resolution will improve the condition of the Pacifica Pier.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Total Project Source and Use of Funds
Grant - NOAA $788,000.00
Total Source of Funds $788,000.00
Design of Pacifica Pier Rehabilitation Project $656,533.00 Project Contingency, 20% $131,467.00
Total Use of Funds $788,000.00
ORIGINATED BY:
Public Works
ATTACHMENT LIST:
Attachment 1: GHD Consultant Services Agreement (PDF)
Pacifica City Council 4
April 27, 2026
RESOLUTION NO. ______
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PACIFICA APPROVING THE
CONSULTANT SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PACIFICA AND GHD, INC. FOR DESIGN AND ENGINEERING SERVICES IN THE AMOUNT OF $656,533.00 IN CONNECTION TO THE PACIFICA PIER REHABILITATION PROJECT; APPROVE BUDGET AUTHORITY IN THE AMOUNT OF $788,000.00, WHICH INCLUDES CONTINGENCIES IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED TWENTY PERCENT (20%) OF DESIGN CONTRACT AMOUNTS; AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE
ALL DOCUMENTS RELATED WITH THE PROJECT
WHEREAS, the City desires to move forward with the design of the Pacifica Pier Rehabilitation Project using NOAA grant funds; and
WHEREAS, the City evaluated GHD’s proposal, and is satisfied that they can successfully complete the work and has been satisfied with their services on past City projects; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Pacifica authorizes the City Manager to execute the Consultant Services Agreement between the City of Pacifica and GHD, Inc. for design and engineering services in the amount of $656,533.00 in connection to the Pacifica Pier Rehabilitation Project (Attachment 1), approves budget authority in the amount of $788,000.00 which includes contingencies in an amount not to exceed twenty percent (20%) of design contract amounts, and authorizes the City Manager to execute all documents related with the Project.
• • • • •
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Pacifica, California, held on the 27th day of April 2026, by the following vote:
AYES, Councilmembers:
NOES, Councilmembers:
ABSENT, Councilmembers:
ABSTAIN, Councilmembers:
_________________________________
Christine Boles, Mayor
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________________ _________________________________ Sarah Coffey, City Clerk Michelle Kenyon, City Attorney Pacifica City Council 5
April 27, 2026
ATTACHMENT 1