REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
January 16, 2020
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, P.E., Director
Public Works Department
THROUGH: WILLIAM C. HERR, Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Facilities and Construction Management Divisions
BY: NATHAN SANCHEZ, Project Manager
Public Works Department, Facilities Management Division
SUBJECT
Title
Approve a consultant services agreement with Northstar General, Inc., in the amount of $344,300 plus a $50,000 contingency, for architectural and engineering design services for an Animal Control Facility (District 2)
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends the Council approve a consultant services agreement with Northstar General, Inc., in the amount of $344,300 plus a $50,000 contingency, for architectural and engineering design services for an Animal Control Facility.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Fresno has an urgent need to design a new animal control facility to serve the needs of the community. On June 20, 2019, the Council approved a Third Amendment to the Agreement entered between the City of Fresno and the Central California Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (CCSPCA), which included a one-year extension of services through June 30, 2020. The CCSPCA has verbally indicated their desire to discontinue services to the City as they transition to a new business model, thus driving the need for the City to design and construct a City-owned animal control facility. The team headed by Northstar General, Inc., including IT Architecture and Lore Engineering, are uniquely qualified to provide these architectural and engineering design services. Staff has negotiated the scope and fee for these services, which will provide complete, construction-ready and permitted drawings and specifications for a new complex of buildings totaling approximately 30,000 square feet with associated site improvements. The recommended action only authorizes design work and does not commit the City to moving forward with actual construction of a facility at this time. However, time is of the essence, and it is necessary to undertake these design services now in order that the City could have a new facility ready to operate by June 2021.
BACKGROUND
The CCSPCA has provided all animal control, pound master, veterinary and animal sheltering services to the City of Fresno for several decades. However, the CCSPCA has indicated their intentions to discontinue services, thus creating the need for the City to expeditiously design and construct its own animal control facility. A traditional design-bid-build process would result in a new facility opening in June 2022, much too late given the current situation and the need to provide these essential services. Therefore staff is recommending a progressive design-build approach, utilizing the team headed by Northstar General, Inc., with IT Architecture and Lore Engineering providing architectural and civil engineering design services, respectively. This team had previously prepared permit-ready construction drawings for a facility envisioned to be located in northwest Fresno to serve the County’s needs. Utilizing the Northstar General team will save more than one full year on the project schedule and would allow the project to be ready for construction in 3 months, with the award of a construction contract and completion of the CEQA environmental assessment.
The current scope of services will only provide for the completion and update of the plans to reflect the new building code, incorporate the City’s animal control needs within the building, and re-configure the buildings and utility connections for the City’s site. The City has narrowed the location to two sites: one using excess land near the planned freeway interchange at Veterans Boulevard and State Route 99; and on property The Gap, Inc. is considering donating to the City at their facility near the airport.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
By the definition provided in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 the award of this consultant services agreement does not qualify as a “project” for the purpose of CEQA.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
The selected firm is located within the limits of the City of Fresno.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding is available for the design work through current FY2020 budget appropriations for animal control services. There will not be any new fiscal impact to the City of Fresno from the recommended action.
Attachment:
Consulting Services Agreement