Agenda Item: 12
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: November 12, 2024
SUBJECT: SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL, PLACERITA JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AND HART HIGH SCHOOL, PROJECT C2030 - DESIGN
CONTRACT
DEPARTMENT: Public Works
PRESENTER: Shannon Pickett
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
1. Award the design contract to MNS Engineers, Inc., for the Safe Routes to School, Placerita Junior High School and Hart High School, Project C2030, in the amount of $193,400 and authorize a contingency in the amount of $19,340, for a total contract amount not to exceed $212,740.
2. Appropriate one-time funds in the amount of $217,740 from the Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 8 – Street and Road Fund (Fund 233) to expenditure account C2030233- 516101.
3. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all documents, subject to City Attorney approval.
BACKGROUND
As part of the Fiscal Year 2022-23 Congressionally Directed Funding request, Representative Mike Garcia supported the City of Santa Clarita's (City) request for $1.3 million for construction of a Safe Routes to School project, enhancing pedestrian and bicycle access surrounding Placerita Junior High School, Hart High School, and Newhall Elementary School (collectively, PJHS & HHS).
This item will award the design contract for the project. This project will design the improvements, including Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant curb ramps and crossings throughout the project area, curb extensions on Newhall Avenue, and a shared bike
lane on 15th Street, as indicated in the attached Location Map. This project supports the Building and Creating Community theme of the City's five-year strategic plan, Santa Clarita 2025.
The scope for this design contract includes engineering design services required to prepare construction documents, including preliminary investigation, project management, and design.
These documents will consist of complete plans, specifications, and engineer's estimates for construction.
The City conducted a Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit proposals from qualified consulting firms to provide design services for the Safe Routes to School, PJHS & HHS project. The RFP was published and circulated via the City's e-procurement system, BidNet, on August 13, 2024.
The City transmitted the solicitation to 2,194 vendors on BidNet, of which 83 vendors downloaded the RFP. A total of six companies provided proposals for consideration.
These proposals were reviewed and evaluated based on each company’s ability to meet the specific needs of the City. An evaluation panel comprised of staff from the Public Works Department scored the responses using the following categories of weighted criteria:
• Responsiveness to the RFP including content, format, and thoroughness of the written proposal (35 points)
• Consultant qualifications and overall project team experience (30 points) • Proposed methodology and ability to meet the scope of work (20 points) • Project understanding (10 points)
• References (5 points)
The evaluation panel scored the responses based on a 100-point scale, with the results outlined below:
Rank Company Location Score
1 MNS Engineers, Inc. Santa Barbara, CA 94
2 Rick Engineering Company Santa Clarita, CA 91
3 Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. Los Angeles, CA 89 4 Psomas Santa Clarita, CA 86
5 EXP U.S. Services, Inc. Glendale, CA 85
6 Willdan Engineering Los Angeles, CA 81
In reviewing proposals, the evaluation panel awarded the highest score to MNS Engineers, Inc. (MNS). The evaluation panel determined that MNS’s proposal offered the best overall value to meet the project needs.
MNS demonstrated an in-depth understanding of the project needs and provided a detailed scope of work and approach to the project. They analyzed the project location and identified key factors that will need to be addressed in the design. Based on their design experience with similar projects, and the completeness of their proposal for this project, staff recommends awarding the design contract to MNS. The proposal is available in the City Clerk’s Reading File.
While the City maintains a Support of Local Businesses policy that can be utilized by the City
Council when warranted, the policy only extends to purchase of supplies, equipment, and services other than Public Works projects and professional services.
California Government Code Section 4526 prescribes the selection of architectural and engineering services to be based on demonstrated competence and professional qualifications necessary for the satisfactory performance of the services required and does not authorize the selection of professional architect and engineering services based on cost. City staff was able to reach an agreement with MNS at a fair and reasonable price.
The requested budget appropriation will provide for design services for this federally-funded construction project and incidental project costs. The requested contingency will cover the cost of unforeseen design constraints and account for potential design modifications requested by the City and other permitting agencies during the design of the project. This includes potential adjustments to the engineering drawings, easement exhibits, and change orders for additional work requested by the City.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
Upon approval of the recommended actions, $217,740 will be available in expenditure account C2030233-516101 (TDA Article 8 Fund) to support the recommended contract and project administrative costs.
ATTACHMENTS
Location Map
Proposal for MNS Engineers, Inc. (available in the City Clerk's Reading File)