REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: GREGORY A. BARFIELD, M.A., Director
Department of Transportation
BY: CAROLINA ILIC, AICP, Assistant Director
Department of Transportation
SHELLE O’BRIEN, Project Manager
Department of Transportation
SUBJECT
Title
Approve the Second Amendment to the professional consultant agreement with PCubed Associates, Inc., a California corporation to provide additional design and engineering services to analyze the feasibility of meeting Title 24 requirements and the feasibility of replacing the diesel-powered emergency generator in the original scope with a hydrogen-powered emergency generator, increasing monetary consideration in an amount not to exceed $59,700 for a total contract price not to exceed $655,000, and authorize the Director of Transportation or designee to execute all related documents.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Council approve the Second Amendment to the professional consultant agreement with PCubed Associates, Inc. (PCubed), to provide additional design and engineering services to analyze the feasibility of meeting Title 24 requirements for the 2016 and 2024 code years and the feasibility of replacing the diesel-powered emergency generator in the original scope with a hydrogen-powered emergency generator, increasing monetary consideration in an amount not to exceed $59,700, for a total contract price not to exceed $655,000 and authorize the Director of Transportation or designee to execute all related documents.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Department of Transportation/FAX (FAX) seeks the approval of a contract amendment to the existing professional consulting agreement with PCubed for additional design and engineering services necessary to support the FAX Maintenance Facility HVAC and Building Improvements project. This project includes two phases of construction work which cover improvements such as: upgraded CNG gas detection and ventilation systems, new hydrogen detection and ventilation systems in support of FAX’s zero emission fleet transition, all-new HVAC equipment to replace failing equipment, new roof for the entire Maintenance Building, and new insulated roll-up shop doors for the whole Maintenance Building. The revisions to this scope include additional design and engineering services required to analyze the feasibility of meeting Title 24 requirements for the 2016 and 2024 code years and the feasibility of replacing the diesel-powered emergency generator in the original scope with a hydrogen-powered emergency generator. This Second Amendment will increase monetary consideration in an amount not to exceed $59,700 for a total contract price not to exceed $655,000.
BACKGROUND
FAX entered into a consultant agreement with PCubed Associates, Inc. on November 17, 2022, to provide design and engineering services for the FAX Maintenance Facility HVAC and Building Improvements Project. The scope of the project takes place within the existing bus maintenance building located at 2223 G Street. This project scope includes two phases of construction work which cover improvements such as: upgraded CNG gas detection and ventilation systems, new hydrogen detection and ventilation systems in support of FAX’s zero emission fleet transition, all-new HVAC equipment to replace failing equipment, new roof for the entire Maintenance Building, and new insulated roll-up shop doors for the whole Maintenance Building. These improvements are all intended to make the maintenance facilities meet the code requirements necessary to allow the maintenance of FAX’s zero emission bus fleet while also making the overall building safer, more efficient, and easier to maintain.
This project continues to support the FAX Zero Emission Transition Plan adopted by Council in June 2021 which requires FAX to begin supporting Fuel Cell Electric Buses (FCEBs) that arrived on site in April 2024 through a separate contract.
The existing roof and HVAC equipment were originally installed in the early 1980s and are not only past their useful life, but also utilize technologies that are expensive to maintain and highly inefficient compared to modern systems. The original project scope covered just the replacement of the existing equipment without too many changes to the existing ductwork inside the building. New Title 24 requirements, which went into place shortly after the original award of this agreement, would have required numerous changes to the existing building including new dividing walls being built, ductwork being rerouted and added, and stronger HVAC equipment which would have required power upgrades to the building. The amendment includes a cost-benefit analysis by PCubed to determine the feasibility of complying with either the 2016 or 2024 code years of Title 24.
Additionally, Phase 1 of the construction requires the installation of a higher capacity emergency generator to support new life safety equipment being installed to meet the NFPA code requirements for servicing hydrogen vehicles in the FAX Maintenance Building. This generator was originally scoped to be a diesel generator like the others on FAX’s site. The amendment includes a feasibility analysis of using a hydrogen-powered emergency generator for FAX to begin aligning its facilities, in addition to its bus fleet, with its zero emission goals.
In August 2023, Council approved the First Amendment for $61,700 to incorporate additional scope for expanded renovations to existing CNG detection and ventilation systems and additional ducting required for the new hydrogen detection and ventilation systems.
The City Attorney has reviewed the amendment and approved it as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
By the definition provided in the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15378, the approval of this amendment does not qualify as a “project”; therefore, it is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act requirements.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not considered as this is an amendment being sought for an existing contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact to the General Fund from this action. Expenses from this contract amendment shall be funded primarily through FTA Program 5307 funds. FAX enterprise funds will make up the required local match. Sufficient appropriations were included and are available in the FAX FY2024 budget.
Attachment:
Second Amendment to PCubed Associates, Inc. Agreement
First Amendment to PCubed Associates, Inc. Agreement
Original Agreement with PCubed Associates, Inc.