REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
May 14, 2015
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
THROUGH: ANDREW J. BENELLI, PE, City Engineer/Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Traffic and Engineering Services Division
BY: DAVID A. CISNEROS, Manager, Special Projects
Public Works Department, Capital Management Division
SUBJECT
Title
Approve amendment to Consultant Contract with Highland Consulting for professional consulting services for ongoing and new railroad related Public Works projects
Body
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Council authorize the Public Works Director to enter into a contract amendment with Highland Consulting for purposes of providing railroad related consulting services to the City of Fresno.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Fresno entered into a contract with Highland Consulting to provide professional consulting services for ongoing and new railroad related Public Works projects. The present contract will terminate on June 30, 2015. The City desires to continue to receive the consulting services provided by Highland Consulting. Therefore, staff is requesting approval of an amendment to the existing contract, for the period July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016, in an amount not to exceed $42,000.
BACKGROUND
On July 1, 2014 the City of Fresno entered into a professional consulting services contract with Highland Consulting, to provide assistance to staff with the many various new and currently active railroad related projects within the City. The present contract is due to expire on June 30, 2015 and the City remains in need of the services provided by Highland Consulting.
The City is currently working on several Section 130 (State Funded) at-grade crossing signal upgrading projects and is expecting the addition of two (2) new projects before June. In addition the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is working with staff to include the McKinley/Blackstone/BNSF crossings as an additional Section 130 project which will modify the pre-emption timing at the railroad crossings and the signal timing at the Blackstone/McKinley intersection. All costs associated with Section 130 projects are paid for by a Federal Grant administered by Caltrans, Rail Division.
In addition the Consultant has been instrumental in negotiating and drafting the numerous agreements that the City and the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) have and will be entering into to facilitate the construction of the high speed train. All costs associated with the high speed train will be paid through the Council approved Reimbursement Agreement with CHSRA.
The amendment has been reviewed by the City Attorney and approved to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
By the definition provided in the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15378, this item does not qualify as a "project" as defined by the Environmental Quality Act.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented because this is an amendment to an existing contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact to the General Fund as all costs associated with this consultant agreement are covered by the Section 130 Federal Grant and the Council approved CHSRA Reimbursement Agreement.
Attachment: Amendment No. 1