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
GUSTAVO RANGEL, Engineer I
Public Works Department, Transportation Project Management
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to on-call professional engineering services for the Public Works Engineering Division on City of Fresno capital improvement projects (Citywide)
1. Approve an On-Call Consultant Services Agreement with Mark Thomas & Company, Inc., in the amount of $750,000
2. Approve an On-Call Consultant Services Agreement with TJKM Transportation Consultants, in the amount of $750,000
3. Approve an On-Call Consultant Services Agreement with QK Inc., in the amount of $750,000
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends the City Council approve three On-Call Professional Engineering Services Agreements between the City of Fresno (City) and 1) Mark Thomas & Company, Inc., 2) TJKM Transportation Consultants, and 3) QK Inc., collectively (Consultants), to provide professional engineering services for the Public Works Engineering Division on City capital 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 $750,000, with no guarantee expressed or implied that the $750,000 amount will be authorized under any of the three respective agreements, and Authorize the Public Works Director or designee to execute all three Agreements on behalf of the City.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Department of Public Works (DPW) Engineering Division manages the department’s capital improvement program, which includes a wide range of transportation infrastructure project types. There is a growing need in the community for more transportation infrastructure and traffic operations projects. Due to the increase in project workload and the commonality of the improvements included in these projects, staff is recommending the proposed on-call agreements as a solution to efficiently deliver these projects. The consultant’s proposed scope of services includes various professional engineering services that will support City staff with grant preparation, transportation infrastructure design, and traffic operations projects. The Engineering Division staff have performed a qualification-based hiring process and have selected three firms to perform these necessary services on an on-call basis.
Upon approval and execution of the Agreements, projects will be identified, a Request for Proposal (RFP) will be issued to all three Consultants, and project-by-project Task Orders will be issued based on the most qualified consultant for the project. The funding for these services will come from different local and state funding sources for each individual task order.
BACKGROUND
Due to the availability of various grants for capital improvement project funding, the complexity of each application, and the growing need for more transportation infrastructure and traffic operation projects has led to the need for on-call consultants to efficiently develop the design documents and support City staff in grant preparation. The agreements for On-Call Professional Engineering Services will allow staff to deliver these types of projects promptly and more efficiently. The proposed services will include feasibility studies, cost estimates, preparation of exhibits, grant writing, benefit-cost analysis, data collection, on-going engineering support, surveying, engineering landscape review, and administration of materials in accordance with grant requirements. Hiring consultants to provide these services on a project-by-project basis is time consuming and creates project initiation delays. Staff recommends approval of the proposed agreements in order to improve efficiencies and project timelines to perform the professional engineering services for the City’s capital programs.
In accordance with Administrative Order (A.O.) 6-19, staff sent out Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for professional engineering services on January 9, 2023, via Planet Bids, email, and published in the Business Journal. At the closing of the advertisement period on January 27, 2023, the RFQ received twelve responses. City staff evaluated each Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) and determined seven submittals were not qualified to move into the interview process. The remaining five SOQ’s were evaluated and ranked and each consultant team was interviewed. At the conclusion of the evaluation period Mark Thomas & Company, Inc., TJKM Transportation Consultants, and QK Inc., were selected as the most qualified consultants for these services.
Staff is recommending the City Council Approve three agreements with 1) Mark Thomas & Company, Inc., 2) TJKM Transportation Consultants, and 3) QK Inc., for Professional Engineering Services, each with three-year terms and a total compensation not to exceed $750,000 individually, with no guarantee expressed or implied that $750,000 will be authorized under any respective agreement, to provide various professional engineering services for the Public Works Engineering Division on City capital projects, 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
By the definition provided in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378, the award of these contracts does not qualify as a “project.”
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was implemented in the consultant selection process.
FISCAL IMPACT
These agreements have no immediate impact to the General Fund and the agreements will service projects in all Council Districts. All funding necessary for the services of the proposed agreements will be appropriated under the individual capital projects for each task order.
Attachments: Consulting Services Agreement - Mark Thomas & Company, Inc.
Consulting Services Agreement - TJKM Transportation Consultants
Consulting Services Agreement - QK Inc.