Planning and Building Agency
www.santa-ana.org/planning-and-building
Item # 32
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
November 7, 2023
TOPIC: Agreements for Qualified Consultants to Provide On-Call Environmental and Planning Services
AGENDA TITLE
Approve agreements for qualified consultants to provide on-call environmental and planning services for planning projects and supplemental staff services for an aggregate amount not to exceed $4,950,000, for up to a five-year term.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Authorize the City Manager to execute agreements to engage each of the 35 environmental and planning services firms listed below, as-needed, for a period of five years beginning November 7, 2023 through November 7, 2028, to provide on-call environmental, technical, and planning services for the Planning and Building Agency at the fees set forth in their responses to Request for Qualifications (No. 23-142) for an aggregate amount not to exceed $4,950,000, for up to a five-year term, subject to non- substantive changes by the City Manager and City Attorney (Agreement No. 2023-XXX).
Consultants
Architectural Resources Group Interwest
Ardurra Kimley Horn
Ascent M-Group
Aspen Environmental Group Michael Baker International
Chambers Group MIG, Inc.
Circlepoint Placeworks
CSG Consultants Psomas
De Novo Planning Group RE Consulting
Dudek Rincon Consultants, Inc.
ECORP Consulting, Inc. Sagecrest Planning and Environmental, LLC EcoTierra Consulting T&B Planning, Inc.
ELMT Consulting Terracon
Envicom Corporation The Code Group
EPD Solutions, Inc. UES
FCS International, Inc. Ultra Systems Environmental, Inc.
GPA Consulting VCS Environmental
Harris & Associates Willdan Engineering
Agreements for On-Call Environmental and Planning Services November 7, 2023
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Helix Environmental Planning
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: Yes
DISCUSSION
In 2020, the City Council approved the prior list of firms to be on the City's list of preapproved consultants to provide environmental and planning services for development projects. The City Council approval provided for a three-year agreement period that will be ending on November 30, 2023. With the current list expiring, a new preapproved list of consultants needs to be established.
On August 17, 2023, the Planning Division released a Request for Qualifications (RFQual No. 23-142) for consultant services on work efforts related to the California Environmental Quality Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the preparation or review of technical studies, and planning services. The intent is to establish an updated list of qualified consulting firms for a period of five years, to be retained on an as-needed basis.
The Planning Division received a Statement of Qualifications from 37 firms in response to the RFQual. The proposals were reviewed for adequacy, evaluated based on the criteria in the RFQual, and compiled into a list of qualified firms. Two firms were disqualified as non-responsive, with 35 firms qualified to provide services identified in the RFQual. Consultants on the pre-qualified list will provide environmental services and/or related technical studies, planning services for current and advance planning, historic preservation, and general planning efforts.
If a development project requires an environmental analysis, technical study, and/or general planning-related services, the developer is given the option to select a firm from the pre-qualified list or obtain proposals from multiple firms from the pre-qualified list. The developer is required to provide payment to the City for the full cost of the contracted service, plus an administrative services fee established by the Miscellaneous Fee Schedule at 15 percent (15%) of full contract price to be retained by the City. Upon receipt of payment from the developer, the City as the lead agency, will execute a side letter agreement to provide on-call services. When the work is completed, the City will pay the consultant for work completed out of the pass-through account. Selecting a consultant from a preapproved list eliminates the need to circulate a Request for Proposal (RFP), significantly reducing the time it takes to hire a consultant, streamlining the entitlement process, and allowing the Planning Division to retain specialized assistance rapidly when needed.
Consultant services under this work scope could include environmental analysis conducted for City projects, such as an ordinance amendment, that requires preparation of required technical studies, peer review of technical studies prepared by others, preparation of Initial Studies, Negative Declarations, Mitigated Negative Declarations, Environmental Impact Reports, Subsequent or Supplemental Environmental Impact Agreements for On-Call Environmental and Planning Services November 7, 2023
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Reports, Addendums, Environmental Assessments, and Environmental Impact Statements. In addition, under City planning staff supervision, consultants may be assigned to staff the public Planning counter. Moreover, consultants may assist with reviewing project plans, responding to public inquires, and case management for specialized projects. Consultants may also assist with review and processing of ministerial permits such as tenant improvements, small additions, sign permits, reroof permits, and window permits. With consultant assistance, full-time planning staff can focus their efforts on current development projects and updating long range planning documents as needed. Firms hired for planning consultant services will be paid from the Planning Agency’s Contract Services Professional and Air Quality Management District accounts as applicable.
Appointment to the pre-approved list does not guarantee work to a consultant. If needed, firms will be selected based upon their ability to perform the required work within the timeframe needed and budget constraints. Approval of the list will allow the Planning Division to hire qualified, experienced consultants for specific projects or tasks in a timely manner. As a result, the staff will be better able to respond quickly to fluctuating demands and ultimately provide better service to customers of the City of Santa Ana. It is recommended that the consultant list be approved due to the expertise that the firms have demonstrated in the field of planning.
FISCAL IMPACT
Service fees shall be paid by the developer prior to the consultant commencing any work and the fees will be deposited by the developer into the appropriate revenue account (No. 05316002-53607). In addition, the 15 percent (15%) administrative services fee will be deposited by the developer into the EIR Developer Fees account (No. 01116002-53607).
Development projects will be assigned activity numbers to track the budget by the Planning & Building Agency. Upon completion of the work, funds will be expended from various accounts to pay consultants for their services.
Funds are budgeted and made available in the following accounts for the specified year:
Fiscal
Year
Accounting
Unit-Account #
Fund
Description
Accounting Unit, Account
Description
Amount
01116510-62300 General Fund Planning & Building, Planning, Contract Services $ 200,000
03116510-62300 Air Quality
Impr.
Planning Air Quality Improv-
Contract Services $ 50,000 2023/24
05316021-62308 City Services Consultant Services – EIR
Developer Fees $ 500,000
01116510-62300 General Fund Planning & Building, Planning, Contract Services $ 250,000
03116510-62300 Air Quality
Impr.
Planning Air Quality Improv-
Contract Services $ 50,000 2024/25
05316021-62308 City Services Consultant Services – EIR
Developer Fees $ 750,000
Agreements for On-Call Environmental and Planning Services November 7, 2023
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01116510-62300 General Fund Planning & Building, Planning, Contract Services $ 250,000
03116510-62300 Air Quality
Impr.
Planning Air Quality Improv-
Contract Services $ 50,000 2025/26
05316021-62308 City Services Consultant Services – EIR
Developer Fees $ 750,000
01116510-62300 General Fund Planning & Building, Planning, Contract Services $ 250,000
03116510-62300 Air Quality
Impr.
Planning Air Quality Improv-
Contract Services $ 50,000 2026/27
05316021-62308 City Services Consultant Services – EIR
Developer Fees $ 750,000
01116510-62300 General Fund Planning & Building, Planning, Contract Services $ 250,000
03116510-62300 Air Quality
Impr.
Planning Air Quality Improv-
Contract Services $ 50,000 2027/28
05316021-62308 City Services Consultant Services – EIR
Developer Fees $ 750,000
Grand Total $4,950,000
EXHIBIT
1. Approved to Form (Template) – Agreement to Provide On-Call Environmental And Planning Services
Submitted By: Minh Thai, Executive Director, Planning and Building Agency Approved By: Steven A. Mendoza, Acting City Manager