CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
DATE: JUNE 24, 2026 CONSENT CALENDAR
SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF THREE (3) PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENTS
WITH INTERACTIVE DESIGN CORPORATION, HOLT ARCHITECTS,
INC., AND PLATT/WHITELAW ARCHITECTS, INC. FOR ON-CALL
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN SERVICES
FROM: Scott C. Stiles, City Manager
BY: Engineering Services Department
SUMMARY:
This action will award professional services agreements with Interactive Design Corporation, Holt Architects, Inc., and Platt/Whitelaw Architects, Inc., for on-call architectural design services for an initial three (3) year term for amounts not to exceed $5,000,000.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Approve Professional Services Agreement with Interactive Design Corporation, a California corporation, to provide on-call architectural design services in an amount not to exceed $5,000,000 for an initial three (3) year term, subject to two (2) additional one (1) year extensions approved at the discretion of the City Manager;
2. Approve Professional Services Agreement with Holt Architects, Inc., a California corporation, to provide on-call architectural design services in an amount not to exceed $5,000,000 for an initial three (3) year term, subject to two (2) additional one (1) year extensions approved at the discretion of the City Manager;
3. Approve Professional Services Agreement with Platt/Whitelaw Architects, Inc., a California corporation, to provide on-call architectural design services in an amount not to exceed $5,000,000 for an initial three (3) year term, subject to two (2) additional one (1) year extensions approved at the discretion of the City Manager;
4. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all necessary Agreements and execute all task orders that fall under the Agreement value.
City Council Staff Report
June 24, 2026 -- Page 2
Approve On-Call Architectural Design Services Agreements BUSINESS PRINCIPAL DISCLOSURE:
According to the Public Integrity Disclosure forms (Attachment A) submitted in April 2026, all firms are registered in the state of California.
BACKGROUND:
The City currently uses architectural firms on an as-needed/on-call basis to provide professional architectural consulting services for capital improvements projects.
On June 10, 2021, City Council approved six on-call architectural services agreements in amounts not to exceed $5,000,000 for an initial three (3) year term, subject to two (2) additional one (1) year extensions, at the discretion of the City Manager and upon mutual consent of the firms.
Architectural Resources Group (ARG)
Holt Architects, Inc. dba Holt Architecture
Interactive Design Corporation
M. Arthur Gensler Jr. & Associate, Inc. (Gensler)
Marks Architects, Inc. dba Urrutia Marks Architects
Westgroup Designs, Inc.
In June of 2024, and June of 2025, the City exercised each one-year extension option resulting in the existing on-call architectural services agreements expiring on June 30, 2026. As the agreements have reached the end of their terms, this action will replace the existing agreements through a competitive procurement conducted under a Request for Qualifications to ensure continuity of required professional services to carry forward capital improvements projects.
STAFF ANALYSIS:
The City of Palm Springs Engineering Services Department requires as-needed, on-call architectural design services for a variety of capital improvement projects. The full extent of required professional services is not known at the present time; however, generally the Department anticipates the need for architectural design services for various budgeted projects.
On March 26, 2026, the Engineering Services Department issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ 2026 AS) for on-call architectural design services. RFQ 2026 AS was published on the City’s on-line bid management system, PlanetBids. By the April 23, 2026, deadline, a total of sixteen (16) proposals were received.
Bureau Veritas, Irvine, CA - Non-Responsive
Executive Engineering, Woodland Hills, CA – Non-Responsive City Council Staff Report
June 24, 2026 -- Page 3
Approve On-Call Architectural Design Services Agreements Frederick Fisher & Partners, Los Angeles, CA
Holly Street Studio, Phoenix, AZ
Holt Architects, Inc., La Quinta, CA
IDS Group, Inc., Irvine, CA
Interactive Design Corporation, Palm Springs, CA
Johnson Favaro: Culver City, CA – Non-Responsive
Krueck Sexton Partners, Chicago, IL – Non-Responsive
M. Arthur Gensler Jr. & Associates, Los Angeles, CA
ONYX Architects, Inc., Pasadena, CA
Platt/Whitelaw Architects, Inc., San Diego, CA
RIOS, Los Angeles, CA
Stayner Architects, Palm Desert, CA
TSK Architects, Los Angeles, CA
Westgroup Designs, Inc., Irvine, CA
The RFQ was written to ensure that the selected firms have demonstrated successful experience and capacity to provide architectural design services to a municipal government agency for the types of projects anticipated to be undertaken in the years to come.
An evaluation committee consisting of City staff from the Engineering Services Department reviewed and scored the statements of qualifications against the criteria published in RFQ 2026 AS. Criteria included the firm’s experience, references, staff’s experience and demonstrated understanding of the requested scope of work and contractual needs, and local preference in accordance with Palm Springs Municipal Code Chapter 7.
Following this review by the evaluation committee the top three ranking firms were selected as shown in Table 1 below.
Table 1
No. Firm Location
1 Interactive Design Corporation Palm Springs, CA
2 Holt Architects, Inc. La Quinta, CA
3 Platt/Whitelaw Architects, Inc. San Diego, CA
It is important to note that the agreements set a maximum contract amount but are not for a specific dollar amount relative to a defined project scope of work, as it is not known the extent to which services may be needed. The maximum contract amount reflects the on-call nature of the Agreement, in that there is no defined cost other than the consultant’s schedule of hourly rates and fees identified in Exhibit “D” of the agreements. This fact is reflected in Section 2.1 of the Agreement, which states:
City Council Staff Report
June 24, 2026 -- Page 4
Approve On-Call Architectural Design Services Agreements City and Consultant hereby acknowledge and agree that the Services required by this Agreement will vary dependent upon the number, type, and extent of the Services the Consultant shall provide; and no guarantee of the extent or the type of Services required of Consultant under the terms of this Agreement is made by the City. The annual level of services required by this Agreement is unknown and may significantly increase or decrease from year to year. In acknowledgement of the fact that the number and type of projects requiring the Consultant’s Services has not been identified for this Agreement, City and Consultant hereby acknowledge and agree that a specific “Maximum Contract Amount” shall be imposed on each separate project that the City may assign Consultant as provided in Section 1.8 and in this Section 2.1. Each such separate project shall be identified as a Task Order authorized by the Director of Engineering/City Engineer or the City Manager as provided in this Section 2.1. Consultant shall be compensated and reimbursed for the services rendered under this Agreement in accordance with the fee schedule set forth in Exhibit “D”. The total amount of Compensation for the duration of the term of this agreement, as defined in Section 3.4, shall not exceed $5,000,000.
Staff recommend approval of professional services agreements (Attachment B) with Interactive Design Corporation, Holt Architects, Inc., and Platt/Whitelaw Architects, Inc., for on-call architectural design services in an amount not to exceed $5,000,000 for an initial three (3) year term, subject to two (2) additional one (1) year extensions approved at the discretion of the City Manager.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
The requested City Council action is not a “Project” as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to Section 15378(a), a “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. According to Section 15378(b), a Project does not include: (5) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLANNING:
This item aligns with the following City Council Strategic Plan Broad Goal: Infrastructure and Facilities.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The proposed agreements provide services to the City as on-call agreements and have no specific contract sum. The scope of services required by these agreements will vary depending upon the number and type of projects assigned to the various firms. The City Council Staff Report
June 24, 2026 -- Page 5
Approve On-Call Architectural Design Services Agreements annual level of on-call services required by these agreements is unknown and may significantly increase or decrease from year to year. Expenditures for individual “Task Orders” approved for specific assignments associated with capital projects will be encumbered from funding previously budgeted and appropriated for that capital project.
Where possible, staff will seek grants, state, or federal funding for capital projects.
REVIEWED BY:
City Engineer: Joel Montalvo
Assistant City Manager: Flinn Fagg
City Manager: Scott Stiles
ATTACHMENTS:
A. Public Integrity Disclosure Forms
B. Interactive Design Corporation – Professional Services Agreement C. Holt Architects – Professional Services Agreement
D. Platt/Whitelaw Architects – Professional Services Agreement