City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: June 28, 2022
Agenda Item: 5.E
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: David Martin, Director, Building & Safety
Subject: Award Request for Proposal and Enter into Agreement with Cotton, Shires and Associates, Inc. for Geotechnical Engineering Services Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Award RFP# 323 to Cotton, Shires and Associates, Inc. for geotechnical engineering services for the Community Development Department, and
2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Cotton, Shires and Associates, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $45,000 (for one year, with four-additional one-year renewal options in the amount of $45,000, on the same terms and conditions) for a total amount not to exceed $225,000 over a five-year period, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
Summary
The Building and Safety Division is required by local and State regulations to review soils reports for qualifying projects submitted to the City as part of the plan review and building permit process. These reports describe the geological conditions present at a construction site and necessitate the review of a geotechnical engineer for approval of the report. The Building and Safety Division does not staff any geotechnical engineers, so the City has historically contracted with outside consultants who can perform these reviews on behalf of the City.
In May 2022, the Building and Safety Division posted an RFP for a renewed request for bids to provide geotechnical engineering services. As a result of this RFP, staff recommends entering into a professional services agreement with Cotton, Shires and Associates, Inc. (Cotton) to provide geotechnical review services to the Building and 2 of 4
Safety Division. Plan review fees for geotechnical review services are collected from building permit applicants, which are intended to cover the cost of the consultant services.
Background
The City has contracted with Cotton, Shires and Associates, Inc. (“Cotton”) since 2012 to provide geotechnical review services associated with the plan review/building permit process. Professional Services Agreement (“PSA”) 2590 CCS for $70,000 was the result of an informal Request for Proposal (“RFP”) that did not require Council Approval due to the contract amount. A first modification to this contract was approved by Council on October 28, 2014, to increase the contract amount to $135,000.
Following best practices, the City went out to bid again for geotechnical services in 2017, and again selected Cotton as the winning proposal. Council authorized a new PSA (10470 CCS), with a not to exceed limit of $175,000 over five years, on June 13, 2017.
Discussion
Pursuant to local and State regulations, the review of geotechnical reports (i.e., soils reports) is required in association with the review of certain development projects as part of the plan review process prior to issuance of building permits. The City has contracted out these services due to not having a geotechnical engineer on staff. The most recent contract authorization for geotechnical review services was in 2017, in accordance with best practices, the City is once again seeking to procure and maintain the necessary geotechnical engineering services.
Based on prior experience with Cotton, as well as projected future volumes, staff recommends increasing the annual budget for this agreement to $45,000 per fiscal year. Plan review fees for geotechnical review services are collected from building permit applicants, which are intended to cover the cost of the consultant services. 3 of 4
To this end, the Building and Safety Division posted a Request for Proposal for geotechnical review services on May 9, 2022. Four proposals were received. Pursuant to SMMC § 2.24.190, staff is recommending the selection of Cotton based on the firm’s expertise in the area of geotechnical engineering, the experience of their staff, familiarity with City processes, familiarity with local geologic conditions, and their history of successful completion of similar geotechnical review projects.
Vendor Selection
Bidder Recommendation
Best Qualified Person/Firm Cotton, Shires and Associates, Inc.
Evaluation Criteria Training/credentials/experience, competence/skill, capacity/ability to perform services promptly, character/reputation, ability to provide future services as needed and price.
Municipal Code SMMC 2.24.190
RFPs Received
Converse Consultants Cotton, Shires & Assoc. Smith-Emery Lab. Willdan Engineering RFP Data
Posted On Posted On
Advertised In
(City Charter & SMMC)
Vendors
Downloaded
Date Publicly
Opened
05/09/2022 City's Online
Bidding Site Santa Monica Daily Press 33 05/09/2022
Justification to Award
Based on this criteria and criteria in SMMC 2.24.190, staff recommends Cotton as the best qualified firm to provide geotechnical engineering services based on the firm’s expertise in the area of geotechnical engineering, the experience of their staff, familiarity with City processes, familiarity with local geologic conditions, their history of successful completion of similar geotechnical review projects, and their cost proposal.
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
10/28/14
(attachment A)
Council authorizes the first modification to Professional Services Agreement 2590 (CCS) with Cotton, Shires and
Associates
06/13/2017
(attachment B)
Council authorizes Professional Services Agreement 10470 (CCS) with Cotton, Shires and Associates
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Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve funding from the General Fund to award an agreement with Cotton, Shires and Associates, Inc. for geotechnical engineering services. Funds are included in the Proposed FY 2022-23 Biennial Budget pending Council adoption.
Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval.
Agreement Request
FY 2022-23
Request Amount Account # Future Years Amount
Total Contract
Amount
$45,000 01700004.552010 $180,000 $225,000
Prepared By: Kevin Purcell, Principal Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. October 28, 2014 Staff Report (Web Link)
B. June 13, 2017 Staff Report (Web Link)
C. Cotton Oak Disclosure