City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: July 8, 2025
Agenda Item: 4.G
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Arminé Chaparyan, Director, Administration
Subject: Award Contracts for Seismic Retrofit Program Engineering Reviews Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines;
2. Award RFP# 437 to Degenkolb Engineers for seismic structural engineering services for the Community Development Department;
3. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute agreements with Degenkolb Engineers, in an annual amount not to exceed $80,000 (for three years, with two additional one-year renewal options in the amount of $80,000, on the same terms and conditions) for a total amount not to exceed $400,000 over a five-year period, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval;
4. Award RFP# 437 to IDS Group for seismic structural engineering services for the Community Development Department;
5. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute agreements with IDS Group, in an annual amount not to exceed $80,000 (for three years, with two additional one-year renewal options in the amount of $80,000, on the same terms and conditions) for a total amount not to exceed $400,000 over a five-year period, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval;
6. Award RFP# 437 to Forell/Elsesser Engineers for seismic structural engineering services for the Community Development Department;
7. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute agreements with Forell/Elsesser Engineers, in an annual amount not to exceed $80,000 (for three years, with two additional one-year renewal options in the amount of $80,000, on the same terms and conditions) for a total amount not to exceed $400,000 over a five-year period, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval. 2 of 5
Summary
To meet the demands of the City’s Seismic Retrofit Program (Program), the Building and Safety Division contracts with structural engineering consultants with expertise in reviewing large, complex buildings. Currently, Building and Safety staff do not have the capacity to review two of the hazardous building types identified by the Program: Nonductile Concrete (NDC) and Steel Moment Frame (SMF). These buildings tend to be large, complex, multi-story structures. The consultants will review structural evaluation reports and seismic retrofit plans submitted by outside engineers and architects for structures on the City’s list of Potentially Seismically Vulnerable Buildings (PSVB). The Building and Safety Division is seeking to contract with three consultants to assist with the tasks of both plan review and structural evaluation report review to ensure that 1) structural analyses are comprehensively reviewed by qualified individuals, and 2) the current level of plan check service to customers is not compromised. The full cost of these services would be recouped through seismic fees adopted in the FY2025-26 budget.
Discussion
The City’s PSVB list encompasses nearly 2,000 buildings. Non-Ductile Concrete (NDC) and Steel Moment Frame (SMF) buildings comprise roughly 150 of the overall total; however, they are the largest and most complex building types on the list. Submitted plans and structural evaluation reports for these buildings must be reviewed by the City to determine compliance with seismic retrofit requirements. Staff do not have the same capacity to review these complex building types as quickly and accurately as outside firms who specialize in large building review; therefore, outside consultant services are necessary to maintain a high level of service.
In 2018, the City executed contracts with Degenkolb Engineers and IDS Group to provide these specific structural engineering services in support of the Program. A link to the Staff Report for the third and final modification to these agreements is attached.
Following the expiration of both agreements, the Building and Safety Division issued a Request for Proposals (RFP), completing a competitive bid process to enable continued specialized review of projects. There are approximately 27 NDC buildings and 58 SMF buildings remaining on the PSVB list. NDC buildings are required to complete a retrofit 3 of 5
by October of 2027 and would likely be the primary focus of the proposed contracts.
The City may receive some SMF submissions as well, though they are due to complete construction by 2037. Prior work by consultants in this area was largely focused on review of structural evaluation reports. However, most owners intending to submit structural evaluations have already done so, so this new set of contracts will be largely focused on plan review.
Building and Safety is requesting authority to award $1,200,000 to fund these reviews on an as-needed basis. All expenditures to consultants for these reviews would be recouped in full through established Seismic Retrofit fees. Staff recommends executing contracts with Degenkolb Engineers, IDS Group, and Forell/Elsesser Engineers to perform these services. Having three firms available for this task gives the City flexibility in assigning reviews and makes it possible to send reports to multiple firms if a high volume is received in a short period of time, ensuring that turn-around times remain reasonable for customers. Degenkolb would be the primary recipient of submissions, as they were the highest scoring respondent to the request for structural engineering services, followed by IDS Group and Forell/Elsesser, respectively.
Vendor Selection
Bidder Recommendation
Best Bidders Degenkolb Engineers; IDS Group; Forell/Elsesser Engineers Evaluation Criteria
(include all that
apply)
Submittals were evaluated based on firm experience, project team, project approach, cost, and quality control. Evaluators primarily focused on the quality of services offered; the ability, capacity and skill of the bidder to perform the services; the capacity of the bidder to provide the service promptly, within the time specified, and without delay or interference; the character, integrity, reputation, judgment, training, experience and efficiency of the bidder; the overall cost of services, and the bidder’s approach to quality control.
The City is not required to select the bid with the lowest price.
Municipal Code SMMC 2.24.190
Submittals Received by Rank
Bidder 1 Degenkolb Engineers Bidder 3 Forell/Elsesser Engineers Bidder 2 IDS Group Bidder 4 Maffei Structural Eng.
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Bid Data
Date
Posted Posted On
Advertise In
(City Charter & SMMC)
Vendor
Responses
Date Publicly
Opened
04/11/2025 City's Online
Bidding Site
Santa Monica Daily
Press
13 05/08/2025
Best Bidder Justification
The City is making three awards based on RFP #437. An evaluation committee of three Building and Safety staff members ranked the top three proposals as follows: 1.
Degenkolb Engineers; 2. IDS Group; 3. Forell/Elsesser Engineers. Firms were ranked primarily on their overall experience, the size/capacity of the firm, the qualifications/experience of the staff potentially working on this project, the systems in place for quality control, and overall cost of services. Reviews determined that Degenkolb leads in nearly every category, which is why they were top ranked.
Environmental Review
The award agreements are exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines. The award agreements are covered by the common-sense exemption which states that CEQA does not apply, “where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.” The agreement will provide the City with structural engineering services that will be performed entirely remotely, online, using City software systems.
Therefore, it can be seen with certainty that the agreement would not result in adverse physical impacts on the environment, and as such, is exempt from CEQA. 5 of 5
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
03/16/18 (attachment
A)
Council authorizes professional services agreements with Degenkolb Engineers, IDS Group.
06/28/22 (attachment
E)
Council authorizes third modification to professional services agreements with Degenkolb Engineers and IDS group.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve funding from the General Fund to award contracts with Degenkolb Engineers, Forell/Elsesser Engineers, and IDS Group for structural engineering services.
Contract Request
Consultant FY 2025-26 Budget
Request Amount
Future Years
Amount
Department
Account #
Total Contract
Amount
Degenkolb $80,000 $320,000 01700004.552010 $400,000
Forell/ $80,000 $320,000 01700004.552010 $400,000
IDS Group $80,000 $320,000 01700004.552010 $400,000
Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval.
Prepared By: Kevin Purcell, Principal Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. March 6, 2018 Staff Report (Web Link)
B. OAKS Degenkolb
C. OAKS IDS Group
D. OAKS Forell
E. June 28th, 2022 Staff Report (Web Link)
F. Levine Act - Degenkolb Engineers
G. Levine Act - IDS Group
H. Levine Act - Forell/Elsesser Engineers