Administrative
Report
H.15., File # 23-5372 Meeting Date: 1/17/2023
To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: TED SEMAAN, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
TITLE
APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE ON-CALL CONSULTING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH
NICOLE JULES, DBA PRIORITY ENGINEERING, TO INCREASE THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT BY $100,000 FOR A NEW NOT TO EXCEED TOTAL OF $200,000 AND TO EXTEND THE TERM THROUGH JANUARY 17, 2025
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In an effort to accelerate capital improvement project (CIP) delivery, Public Works Department staff have negotiated on-call professional service agreements with engineering, architecture and surveying firms to allow for quick assignment of smaller work tasks by setting up the contract conditions in advance. On-call service contracts are flexible and can be utilized within established parameters. Funding for each task comes from projects and programs that have already received Council appropriations.
The City Council has awarded a number of these contracts and amendments in the past, and they have been successfully used in a number of projects to accelerate project delivery timelines. Staff is recommending an additional amendment to an existing contract for approval by the City Council.
This amendment is needed to continue to provide services related to managing the implementation of the bicycle facilities projects currently identified and funded in the CIP.
BACKGROUND
During the City’s FY 2018-19 budget cycle, a Budget Response Report identified several tools that would be useful in accelerating the pace of delivery of CIP projects. One tool that staff strongly recommended is on-call contracting for professional services. On-call service contracts are, by definition, not fully defined as to the scope, amount and encumbrance of a funding source. To overcome these uncertainties, the contracts include a mechanism for staff to receive quotes and award work on a task by task basis, with a “not to exceed” limit for the amount of work awarded to a vendor. This allows staff to quickly assign smaller work tasks (e.g. geotechnical engineering, surveying, etc.) without having to develop and present an individual contract to City Council for award. Funding sources for on-call contracts are not identified at the time of award. Rather, as tasks are assigned to an on-call vendor, the funding is assigned (using the purchase order) from the already appropriated funding source for the particular project to which the work applies.
The Engineering Services Division and the City Attorney’s Office worked together to develop a contract template for solicitation of requests for proposals for on-call consulting services. The
H.15., File # 23-5372 Meeting Date: 1/17/2023
template stipulates a two-year term with a not to exceed value of $100,000 over the two years.
On December 18, 2018, the City Council awarded six firms with on-call contracts and on February 19, 2019 seven additional contracts were awarded. Another was added in December of 2019. Use of on-call services has accelerated the delivery of many projects. As a result, several of the on-call agreements were amended by the City Council on December 1, 2020 to extend the contract term.
On December 13, 2022, Council approved second amendments to ten on-call agreements in order to continue assisting the City with many CIPs. These agreements provide the City with a deep and broad bench of firms to supplement staff efforts to deliver CIP projects.
Staff is now proposing an additional amendment with Priority Engineering be approved by the City Council. Priority Engineering is a transportation and municipal engineering consultant who specializes in the delivery of transportation related projects. Priority Engineering previously performed on-call services for the City under the firm name DBE Consulting, LLC. This proposed amendment is needed to continue to provide services related to managing implementation of the bicycle facilities projects currently identified and funded in the CIP. To date, Priority Engineering has assisted with six task orders with a total amount of $100,000.
COORDINATION
On-call contract development has been coordinated between the City Attorney’s Office and the Public Works Department. The City Attorney’s Office prepared and approved the amendment as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT
No additional funding impacts occur by approving the contract. Funding is committed as tasks are assigned by staff and only from funds that have already been appropriated by City Council for CIP projects and programs.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
· Agmt - First Amendment to Agreement with Priority Engineering