REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: JENNIFER K. CLARK, AICP, Director
Planning and Development Department
ASHLEY ATKINSON, AICP, Assistant Director
Planning and Development Department
BY: NADIA SALINAS, Project Manager
Planning and Development Department
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to On-Call Plan Check, Back Check, and Inspection Services for the Building and Safety Division
1. Approve a Second Amendment to the consultant services agreement with Interwest Consulting Group, Inc., extending the performance term from June 30, 2026, to June 30, 2027, with no change to the not-to-exceed amount; and
2. Approve a Second Amendment to the consultant services agreement with BPR Consulting Group, LLC, extending the performance term from June 30, 2026, to June 30, 2027, with no change to the not-to-exceed amount
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the second amendments to extend the performance terms of the existing consultant services agreements with Interwest Consulting Group, Inc. and BPR Consulting Group, LLC through June 30, 2027.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Building and Safety Division of the Planning and Development Department uses on-call consultant services when needed to sustain timely building plan check, back check, and inspection services. The Division continues to manage high permit volumes, complex multidisciplinary plan reviews, and periodic staffing gaps that affect turnaround times. The City is also required under California Civil Code section 55.53 to employ or retain a sufficient number of Certified Access Specialists (CASps) to ensure accessibility compliance, and current staffing levels do not meet this mandate. The existing on-call agreements provide the additional capacity needed to meet these demands and obligations. Extending the agreements through June 30, 2027, ensures uninterrupted service delivery without increasing the current not-to-exceed amounts.
BACKGROUND
The Building and Safety Division of the Planning and Development Department continues to rely on on-call plan check, back check, inspection, and CASp services to maintain service levels during periods of high permit activity and intermittent staffing vacancies. Building and Safety processes about 100 permit applications per day, requiring multidisciplinary review across structural, building, grading, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, solar, energy compliance, and accessibility disciplines. Consultant support remains essential to meeting turnaround expectations and ensuring consistent application of the California Building Standards Code.
California Civil Code section 55.53 requires local agencies to employ or retain a sufficient number of CASp-certified professionals to conduct accessibility plan review and inspection. The City currently employs only one CASp, which does not meet this statutory requirement. The on-call agreements with Interwest Consulting Group and BPR Consulting Group include CASp-qualified personnel, allowing the City to maintain compliance while continuing recruitment and training efforts.
In October 2023, the City issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to update its on-call bench. Ten responses were received, including five local firms. Interwest and BPR were selected as the best value and awarded contracts in December 2023. In 2025, the City executed first amendments that extended both agreements through June 30, 2026.
Workload conditions, CASp compliance requirements, and operational continuity needs support extending the agreements one additional year, through June 30, 2027, with no change to the existing not-to-exceed amounts.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
As provided by Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, the approval of the agreements is not a “project” for purposes of CEQA.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Interwest and BPR Consulting Group meet the local preference requirements of Municipal Code Section 4-109(b).
FISCAL IMPACT
No additional appropriations are requested. The existing not-to-exceed amounts remain unchanged and sufficient appropriations exist within the Planning and Development Department’s FY26 and FY27 budgets to support the extended term.
Attachments:
Second Amendment to Consultant Services Agreement - BPR Consulting Group, LLC
Second Amendment to Consultant Services Agreement - Interwest Consulting Group, Inc.
First Amendment & Original Consultant Services Agreements - BPR Consulting Group LLC
First Amendment & Original Consultant Services Agreements - Interwest Consulting Group, Inc.