REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
BY: RANDALL W. MORRISON, PE, Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Engineering Division
SUBJECT
Title
Approve three on-call agreements with 1) Hamner, Jewell & Associates, 2) Continental Field Services, and 3) Universal Field Services, for Right of Way Acquisition Project Management Services, each with three-year terms and a total compensation not to exceed $500,000 individually to assist Public Works staff with the acquisition of privately owned real property and land rights to facilitate City public infrastructure projects (Citywide)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve three On-Call Right of Way Acquisition Project Management Services Agreements between the City of Fresno (City) and 1) Hamner, Jewell & Associates, 2) Continental Field Service, and 3) Universal Field Services, collectively (Consultants), to provide and/or manage appraisal services, real property/right of way acquisition services, residential relocation services, and business relocation services for City-wide Infrastructure Projects, for three-year terms, to be reimbursed for hours worked at the hourly rates specified in the Schedule of Fees included in the Consultant’s respective agreement, not to exceed $500,000, with no guarantee expressed or implied that the $500,000 amount will be authorized under any of the three respective agreements, and Authorize the Director of Public Works or designee to execute all three Agreements on behalf of the City.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Department of Public Works (DPW) Real Estate Section currently performs all right of way acquisition services and administers all property appraisal and relocation assistance services necessary to facilitate DPW Capital Projects, Development Projects, Public Utilities Projects and a variety of other real estate services. The current and projected level of services needed by the DPW Real Estate Section exceeds the capacity of the current staffing level. City staff proposes the use of on-call consultants to augment our staff capacity, when needed, in order to meet critical project deadlines.
Upon approval and execution of the On-Call Acquisition Consultant Agreements, projects requiring acquisition consultant services will be identified, a Requests for Proposal (RFP) will be issued to all three acquisition Consultants, and project-by-project Task Orders will be issued based on the most competitive cost proposal received. The funding for these services will come from the allocated project funding sources for each individual task order.
BACKGROUND
Capital Improvement Projects have steadily increased due to higher levels of federal, state, and local funding assistance based on the City’s growing infrastructure needs. Development projects continue to increase due to single-family-residence shortages and a consistent increase in market value. Public Utilities Projects have increased as a direct result of the higher levels of Development projects. A large percentage of each of these projects require the acquisition of private real property interests to facilitate the increased number of public and private infrastructure projects. The City’s need for acquisition services, leasing services, and the disposition of excess real property exceeds the capacity of DPW’s current Real Estate Section staffing level. Acquisition Consulting Services (e.g., appraisal services, real property/right of way acquisition services, residential relocation services, and business relocation services) provided by the recommended Acquisition Consultants are available at this time, and have been determined to be the three most qualified Acquisition Consultants Services firms available by the Department, and have the trained and experienced staff standing by to provide the necessary assistance on an on-call basis.
On May 5, 2021, a Request for Qualifications (RFQ), Bid 10053 was issued seeking Statements of Qualifications (SOQ) for Acquisition Consultants to provide support to the DPW Real Estate Section during peak periods of high demand. Initial screening of Acquisition Consultants SOQs was based on categories including experience of the firm, education and training of staff and subconsultants, understanding of applicable rules and regulations, and a proposed workplan to provide the necessary services identified in the RFQ.
Ten consultants submitted SOQs. A selection panel of four staff members from the Real Estate section of DPW’s Engineering Division scored and ranked the submitted firm’s SOQs based on the criteria listed above. The three highest ranking firms were invited for an interview and to deliver a prepared presentation. At the conclusion of the interviews and prepared presentations, the selection panel concluded all three firms demonstrated above average experience and expertise, and are all qualified to provide the wide variety of Acquisition Services required by the City.
In addition to assisting real estate staff to meet construction project delivery schedules, Acquisition Consultants will allow staff to address smaller scale and more complex acquisition projects such as Park project sites, and various departments’ real property and facility needs, process a large inventory of remnant parcels from completed Capital Projects ready for disposition, and process a large inventory of abandoned pump sites and well sites ready to be declared surplus and disposed of to reduce maintenance expenses and increase the Department of Public Utilities Enterprise Fund. DPW’s Real Estate Section will also have additional staff time to assist in leasing and/or the disposition of vacant City-owned buildings.
Staff is recommending the City Council Approve three on-call agreements with 1) Hamner, Jewell & Associates, 2) Continental Field Services, and 3) Universal Field Services, for Right of Way Acquisition Project Management Services; for three-year terms, not to exceed $500,000 individually, with no guarantee expressed or implied that $500,000 will be authorized under any respective agreement, to facilitate Public Infrastructure Projects by providing and/or managing services necessary for the acquisition of real property/right of way, and authorize the Public Works Director or designee to execute the agreement, approved as to form by the City Attorney’s Office, on behalf of the City.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
This is not a “project” for the purposes of CEQA, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference does not apply because the services anticipated by the Agreements include projects that are federally funded.
FISCAL IMPACT
These Agreements have no impact to the General Fund and the Agreements will service locations in all Council Districts. All funding necessary for the services of the proposed Agreements were and will be included in the current and future fiscal year adopted City budget.
Attachments: Consulting Services Agreement - Hamner, Jewell & Associates
Consulting Services Agreement - Continental Field Service
Consulting Services Agreement - Universal Field Services