CITY OF POMONA
COUNCIL REPORT
October 20, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Anita D. Scott, City Manager
Submitted By: Meg McWade, Public Works Director
SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF A NEW FIVE-YEAR MASTER ON-CALL CONSULTANT LIST FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES BEGINNING NOVEMBER 1, 2025 THROUGH OCTOBER 31, 2030 RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council take the following actions:
Approve the new five-year Master On-Call Consultant List, comprised of 72 professional and technical consultant firms, for use in procuring professional services as allowed by the Pomona Municipal Code for public works projects including those within the City’s Adopted Capital Improvement Program (CIP); and Authorize the City Manager or designee to enter into five-year Consultant Retainer Master Agreement (in substantially the form included hereto as Attachment No. 1) for Professional Consultant Services with the 72 professional and technical consultant firms, as needed on behalf of the City, subject to review and approval of non-substantive changes by the City Attorney.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Every five years, Staff issues a formal Request for Qualifications (RFQual) for specialty and technical consultants for the purpose of establishing a new Master On-Call Consultant List for public works projects. Approval of the new Master On-Call Consultant List for 2025–2030 and authorization of the City Manager to enter into Consultant Retainer Master Agreements with the 72 professional and technical consultant firms will ensure continued support to streamline CIP projects. This action establishes a bench of pre-qualified engineering consultants that will be available on an as-needed basis to augment staff in the review, approval, and delivery of public works projects.
SB1439/GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLICABILITY:
☒ When this box is checked, it indicates the agenda item is subject to the Levine Act SB1439 requirements. Councilmembers are reminded to check their campaign contributions and determine whether they have received a campaign contribution of $500 or more that would require disclosure and/or recusal from discussing or acting on this agenda item. Campaign contributions of $500 or more made 1) by any person or entity who is identified in the agenda report as the applicant or proposer or 2) on behalf of the applicant or participant, including a parent, subsidiary or otherwise related business entity, or 3) by any person who has a financial interest in the agenda item requires a councilmember to comply with SB1439.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no cost associated with this action. Costs are incurred at the time an agreement is entered into with a specific consultant on the list. Using consultants from the Master On-Call Consultant List eliminates costs associated with issuing a formal Request for Proposals for projects requiring professional services within the amount allowed under the Public Contract Code Sec. 22032(b).
PUBLIC NOTICING REQUIREMENTS:
In accordance with Section 2-993.1(4)a of the City’s Purchasing Ordinance, a Public Notice inviting bids was posted on the City’s electronic bidding platform, PlanetBids, on April 28, 2025, and bids were due on June 16, 2025.
PREVIOUS RELATED ACTION:
On October 5, 2020, the City Council approved the 2020-2025 Master On-Call Consultant List comprised of 56 professional and technical consulting firms.
On October 2, 2017, the City Council approved the 2017-2020 Master On-Call Consultant List comprised of 72 professional and technical consulting firms.
On September 8, 2014, the City Council approved the 2014-2027 Master On-Call Consultant List comprised of 72 professional and technical consulting firms.
DISCUSSION:
Authority and Purpose
City Code Section 2-1005 outlines the use of Master On-Call Consultant Lists and clarifies that inclusion on the list does not guarantee the execution of a Master Agreement.
The purpose of establishing a Master On-Call Consultant List is to provide an efficient and effective means of securing professional and technical services in support of the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and other projects. These lists allow Staff to solicit proposals from pre-qualified consultants for project-specific needs, ensuring familiarity with City standards, consistency in work quality, and timely delivery of services.
Background
Prior to 2020, the City updated the Master On-Call Consultant List every three years. However, due to the time-consuming nature of the evaluation and selection process, often requiring participation from multiple departments, the City transitioned to a five-year cycle in 2020. This greatly reduced the administrative burden and improved efficiency. As such, Staff recommends continuing this five-year cycle for the upcoming 2025–2030 period to maintain consistency and effectiveness.
Specialty Categories
The Master Consultant List Program includes the major professional and technical service categories used for City projects, including architects, engineers, grant writers, inspectors, planners, and project managers. The following service categories are proposed for inclusion on the 2025-2030 Master On-Call Consultant List:
A-1 Civil Engineering
A-2 Civil Engineering (Water/Sewer)
A-3 Traffic Engineering
A-4 Construction Management, Inspection, and Sampling Services A-5 Construction Management and Inspection Services (Water/Sewer) A-6 GIS and Asset Management Technical Support Services A-7 Water Resources Management
A-8 Hydrogeology Services
A-9 Surveying, Mapping, and Right-of-Way Engineering
A-10 Grant Writing
B-10 Architecture
B-11 Landscape Architecture
B-12 Construction Management and Inspection Services (Buildings) B-13 Electrical Engineering
B-14 Geotechnical Engineering and Materials Testing
B-15 Hazardous Materials Testing and Monitoring Services B-16 Program Management
B-17 Structural Engineering
Procurement Process
On April 25, 2025, the City issued Request for Qualifications (RFQual) No. 2025-11, Master On-Call Consultant List for Public Works Projects, via PlanetBids. The solicitation was sent to 2,130 firms, 244 firms downloaded the RFQual and 84 proposals were received. Of these, 80 met minimum qualifications.
The RFQual included all key service categories used for City projects, including architects, engineers, inspectors, planning professionals, project managers, and grant writers, with detailed Scope of Works included for each, along with a request for hourly rates by staff level.
A project team from Public Works, Water Resources, and Development Services evaluated the proposals. Each specialty category had a designated review team scoring proposals on the following criteria:
References
Company Expertise and Experience
Quality of Project Management Administration Approach
Key Personnel Team Experience
Procurement staff compiled scores and the top ten scoring proposals in each category are recommended for the 2025-2030 Master On-Call Consultant List (Attachment No. 2).
Consultant Agreements and Engagement Process
The City Council may approve up to ten (10) consultants per Specialty Category. Inclusion on the Master On-Call Consultant List qualifies firms to be considered for project-specific work but does not guarantee any contract or work award. A Master Agreement is executed only after a consultant is selected through an informal request for proposals issued to all consultants in the relevant category. This agreement, valid for up to five years (unless extended by City Council), establishes the legal terms, conditions, and approved hourly rates for services.
For each project, the City will issue an Engagement Letter outlining the scope, pricing, and deliverables. Together, the Master Agreement and Engagement Letter govern the consultant’s work on that project. Future assignments awarded to a consultant with a Master Agreement would only require an Engagement Letter. This structure supports flexible, as-need services for CIP projects during the five-year term.
Informal Bidding Process
Staff will request project-specific proposals from all the consultants for the relevant specialty category, for each project under the maximum amount allowed by California Public Contract Code Sec. 22032(b). Staff will review all proposals submitted by the deadline and then select the most qualified proposal using a Qualifications-Based Selection process. The proposal costs may not exceed the hourly rates set forth in the consultant’s Master Retainer Agreement. Staff may also negotiate a reduction in pricing at the time of project award. When the Public Works Director approves a proposal, a Letter of Engagement is entered into with the consultant, specific to the specialty category for a particular project, and a purchase order is issued, referring to the specific project and pricing. The City will also refer to the Consultant’s Master Retainer Agreement to incorporate the legal terms and conditions set forth therein.
Consultant services for projects that are estimated to exceed the maximum amount allowed by California Public Contract Code Sec. 22032(b) will continue to be formally bid, as appropriate, and presented to City Council for approval.
Prepared by:
Lindsay McElwain, Senior Management Analyst
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment No. 1 - Consultant Retainer Master Agreement Attachment No. 2 - Master On-Call Consultant List 2025-2030 Approval of New Five-Year Master On-Call Consultant List