CC MEETING: August 18, 2015
DATE: August 4, 2015
TO: Leonard Martin, City Manager
FROM: Cesar J. Molina, Jr., P.E., Director of Engineering
Title
Consider Authorizing The City Manager To Approve A Professional Services Contract With BW2, The Wallace Group, Nathan D. Maier, And Baseline Surveying For General Surveying Services In An Amount Not To Exceed $160,000.00.
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BACKGROUND:
Several years ago the Engineering Department began performing in-house design for small scale capital projects to reduce design costs. In most cases, surveying services are required to determine topography, property boundaries and other site features necessary to properly design and prepare plans for capital projects. These contracts are typically less than $10,000, but there are multiple capital projects being performed by the city. Surveying services are also used to provide support to other departments in the city that may need boundary survey work related to land acquisition or disposal.
Surveying services were outsourced several years ago, so the city does not have the staff or equipment to perform these services in-house. Similar to the geotechnical/materials testing contract, staff uses a streamlined work order process to minimize the paperwork, reduce consultant cost and reduce the Council agenda workload associated with multiple contracts.
A formal selection process was conducted. Eighteen firms submitted statements of qualifications. After evaluation by staff, four firms were selected as the most qualified firms. These were BW2, The Wallace Group, Nathan D. Maier Consulting Engineers, and Baseline Surveying. This selection is effective through June 2016.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Services will be provided as a work order on a project by project basis. Funding for these services will come from the respective capital project budgets.
Staff is proposing to contract these professional services for a total not to exceed amount of $160,000 for the duration of the consultant selection process (June 30, 2016). Staff tries to split the workload equitably among the firms, but the variability in project size and scope requires some flexibility in the individual firm fees.
IMPACT ON COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY:
• Reduce design cost by providing adequate information to perform in-house designs at a lower rate than consultants.
• Provide support for easement and plat research for sale of properties.
• Provide survey support for specialized in-house projects such as the FEMA Letter of Map Revision analysis for the Raiford property.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION/ACTION DESIRED:
Staff recommends authorizing the City Manager to enter into a professional services agreement for general survey services with BW2, The Wallace Group, Nathan D. Maier Consulting Engineers and Baseline Surveying for a total maximum fee of $160,000.