CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
DATE: JUNE 24, 2026 CONSENT CALENDAR
SUBJECT: AWARD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENTS WITH
ENGINEERING RESOURCES OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, INC., AND TKE ENGINEERING, INC., FOR ON-CALL CIVIL PLAN CHECK
SERVICES
FROM: Scott C. Stiles, City Manager
BY: Engineering Services
SUMMARY:
The Engineering Services Department relies on the services of a professional consulting firm to provide on-call civil plan check services for street, sewer, grading, traffic signal and other improvements plans, subdivision maps, right-of-way documents, and technical reports related to proposed and/or approved development projects located in the City.
The current agreement for these services expires June 30, 2026. This action will award professional services agreements with Engineering Resources of Southern California, Inc., and TKE Engineering, Inc., for on-call civil plan check services.
RECOMMENDATION:
1) Approve Professional Services Agreement (Attachment A) with Engineering Resources of Southern California, Inc., to provide on-call civil plan check services in an amount not to exceed $2,500,000 for a five-year term commencing on July 1, 2026, and continuing through June 30, 2031;
2) Approve Professional Services Agreement (Attachment B) with TKE Engineering, Inc., to provide on-call civil plan check services in an amount not to exceed $2,500,000 for a five-year term commencing on July 1, 2026, and continuing through June 30, 2031;
3) Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all necessary documents.
BUSINESS PRINCIPAL DISCLOSURE:
According to the Public Integrity Disclosure forms (Attachment C) submitted in April 2026, Engineering Resources of Southern California, Inc., and TKE Engineering, Inc., are both registered in the state of California.
City Council Staff Report
June 24, 2026 -- Page 2
On-Call Civil Plan Check Services
BACKGROUND:
Engineering Services requires as-needed, “on-call” civil engineering plan check services for a variety of future private development projects. The full extent of required civil engineering plan check services is not known at the present time; however, Engineering anticipates the need for professional review of street, sewer, grading, traffic signal and other improvement plans, subdivision maps, right-of-way documents, and technical reports related to proposed and/or approved development projects located in the City.
On June 10, 2021, City Council approved Agreement No. 8872 (A8872) with Engineering Resources of Southern California, Inc. (ERSC) to provide the City with on-call civil plan check services. The term of A8872 was for an initial three-year term with two one-year extensions, and as the City has exercised both extension terms. The current agreement expires on June 30, 2026.
Historically, the budget for plan check services had been set at $350,000 a year. For Fiscal Years 25/26 and 26/27, staff had anticipated an increase in services and set the budget at $400,000. What staff had not anticipated was the simultaneous advancement of two major projects at a significantly increased pace. The Miralon and Serena Park Developments both submitted an unprecedented number of plans and maps for review in addition to the typical projects the department processes. On January 14, 2026, City Council approved an appropriation of additional funds for on-call civil plan check services for an additional amount not to exceed $400,000, and a revised contract amount not to exceed $800,000 to accommodate the increased reviews and review costs.
Payments made to the consultant for on-call civil engineering plan check services are paid from deposits collected, on a “pass-through” basis; sufficient funds are collected as revenue to offset incurred expenditures on an annual basis for required services. Given that there are expected to be general increases in service costs due to inflation over the term of the contracts, and that major developments like Phase 2 of the Miralon development and several phases of the Serena Park development are still needing review services rendered, Engineering estimates that it is necessary to budget $500,000 a year per consultant. The intent is to minimize the need for appropriating additional funds in future years of the agreements.
STAFF ANALYSIS:
On March 30, 2026, the Procurement and Contracting Department issued Request for Qualifications 02-26 (RFQ 02-26) for on-call civil plan check services based on the specifications provided by Engineering Services. RFQ 02-26 was advertised in the local newspaper, published on the PlanetBids website with notification to 689 registered vendors, and 400 vendors through Bid Broadcast. This outreach resulted in 9 attendees at the Pre-Qualification Conference on April 7, 2026, and the submission of 9 statements of qualifications.
City Council Staff Report
June 24, 2026 -- Page 3
On-Call Civil Plan Check Services
The following firms submitted proposals for consideration by the April 28, 2026, deadline:
4LEAF, Inc. – San Bernardino, CA
Albert A. Webb Associates – Riverside, CA (Non-responsive) Bureau Veritas – Sacramento, CA
CSG Consultants, Inc. – Irvine, CA (Non-responsive)
Engineering Resources of Southern California, Inc. – Redlands, CA Interwest Consulting Group – Irvine, CA
Michael Baker International – Palm Desert, CA
TKE Engineering, Inc. – Riverside, CA
Transtech Engineers, Inc. – Chino, CA
An evaluation committee consisting of City staff from the Engineering Services Department reviewed and scored the statements of qualifications received against the criteria published in the Request for Qualifications. Criteria included the firm’s experience, references, staff’s experience, and demonstrated understanding of the overall project and requested scope of work.
It is the intent of Engineering Services to retain two plan check consultants to maintain consistency with its plan check services, as well as to maintain a back-up consultant should it become necessary.
Engineering Resources of Southern California, Inc. has provided 25 years as the City’s on-call civil plan check service provider for the same services to be covered under this new contract. They have also rendered similar services at varying lengths of time to various jurisdictions & municipalities within Southern California. They have familiarity with unique aspects to the Coachella Valley region regarding civil design, as well as providing the professional expertise necessary to perform the services needed by the City of Palm Springs with a set of dedicated staff.
TKE Engineering, Inc. has over 20 years of dedicated experience in providing plan check services for municipal governments, having performed the same review services for more than 20 municipalities through Southern California during that time. They will have a group of key personnel assigned to handle plan check services for the City of Palm Springs, along with a support team of over 70 members, that are fully qualified to perform the services needed by the City of Palm Springs.
Based on the review of the statements of qualifications and scoring, staff recommend approval of professional services agreements with the highest scoring firms, ERSC and TKE in amounts not to exceed $2,500,000 for five-year terms commencing on July 1, 2026, and continuing through June 30, 2031.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
The requested City Council action is not a “Project” as defined by the California City Council Staff Report
June 24, 2026 -- Page 4
On-Call Civil Plan Check Services
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. The requested action is to approve contracts for the above-mentioned services, and is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15378(b), in that 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:
Fees for civil engineering plan check services are paid by developers in accordance with the City’s comprehensive fee schedule. These fees currently cover the cost for plan check services and City staff time to administer and coordinate the plan check process.
Payments made to the consultant for on-call civil engineering plan check services are paid from deposits collected, on a “pass-through” basis; sufficient funds are collected as revenue to offset incurred expenditures on an annual basis for required services. As revenue is collected from the private development community for requested plan check services, the revenue is received and offsets expenditures appropriated in the General Fund in the Engineering Department.
REVIEWED BY:
Department Director: Joel Montalvo
Procurement & Contracting Manager: Tabitha Richards
Assistant City Manager: Flinn Fagg
City Manager: Scott Stiles
ATTACHMENTS:
A. ERSC - Professional Services Agreement
B. TKE – Professional Services Agreement
C. Public Integrity Disclosure Forms