CC MEETING: March 19, 2024
DATE: March 11, 2024
TO: Erin Rinehart, City Manager
FROM: Jonathan Wheat, P.E., Director of Engineering
Marc Guy, Assistance City Manager
Title
Consider A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Negotiate And Execute A Professional Services Agreement With Hoefer Welker, LLC, For Design, Plan Preparation And Construction Administration Assistance Phasing For The Fire Station 6 Replacement Project In An Amount Not To Exceed $1,184,092.00.
Body
BACKGROUND:
The existing Fire Station No. 6 was constructed in 1987 and has served its expected lifespan. Although ongoing cosmetic repairs have been made to make the facility comfortable for station personnel, there has been movement of the soil beneath the building floor slab over the years. That movement has resulted in floor cracks, uneven floors and damage to walls and doors. A 2019 engineering report on the structure determined that there is no practical way to isolate the existing foundation from the resulting soil movement, and any repair that has been conducted over its life to date can be reasonably expected to be needed again in the future. The report ultimately concluded that, given the physical deterioration and functional obsolescence of the facility, it was not a good candidate for renovation or expansion and that a new facility was recommended.
As the current site is irregular and too small for a suitable replacement facility, Fire and Engineering personnel, working in conjunction with the Fire Department’s station relocation assessment consultant, identified a new location along Frankford Road near the Indian Creek Golf Course. The new site is of sufficient size and in a location that benefits response times. Additionally, the property is owned by the City, providing the advantage of allowing for construction of the new station without disruption of existing emergency services. The existing facility will be demolished once the new station is constructed and operational.
The new facility will contain three full-length drive-through bays and be capable of accommodating seven firefighters and an officer. The facility will also contain centralized EMT supply and distribution operations serving all City fire stations. The station will be designed to meet current and reasonably anticipated emergency services needs with a minimum service life of approximately 35 years.
The Texas Local Government Code requires a government entity to select a provider of professional services, including architectural and engineering services, on the basis of demonstrated competence and qualifications to perform the services. In the selection of engineering and architectural professional services for the Fire Station 6 project, the Engineering Department publicly advertised for Statements of Qualifications (SOQs) and received responses from ten firms.
City Engineering and Fire staff evaluated such items as firm location and size, proposed project manager and their experience with projects similar to Carrollton’s. Additional consideration was made for the firm’s current workload, type of projects for which the firm has prepared a design and the proposed sub-consultants. To ensure that project experience is up to date with active personnel, technology, building codes and construction practices, relevant experience was limited to that occurring within recent years. The committee also conducted an interview with the firm, and verified references with other municipalities and fire departments. It was the unanimous conclusion of the selection committee that Hoefer Welker is the most highly qualified designer for the Fire Station 6 project.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Hoefer Welker has submitted a proposal to the City to perform architectural and engineering design services for the facility in an amount not to exceed $1,184,092.00. This includes all professional consulting fees, topographic survey, geotechnical investigations and reimbursables. The proposal was evaluated against other Carrollton facilities over the past twenty years along with several industry benchmarks and was found to be consistent with projects of comparable magnitude and complexity.
IMPACT ON COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY:
This project will support the City Council’s strategic objectives and vision of building a community that families and businesses want to call home by:
• Providing adequate long-term fire and emergency response facilities and ensuring continuance of effective public safety operations for the citizens of Carrollton.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION/ACTION DESIRED:
Staff recommends City Council approval of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute a professional design services agreement with Hoefer Welker, LLC for the design, plan preparation and construction administration assistance phasing for the Fire Station 6 replacement project in an amount not to exceed $1,184,092.00.