HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-17-2013 c10 advertise soils & materials testingcounctl
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Meeting Date
.Irrne l7 )O13
Item Number c10
FROM:
Prepared By:
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
Daryl R. Grigsby, Director of Public Works
Jennifer Rice, Administrative Assistant
SUBJECT CONTRACT AWARD: SOILS AND MATERIALS TESTING SERVICES,
SPECIFICATION No. 50410 .7227 .2013
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Approve the Request for Qualifications for Soils and Materials Testing Services, Specif,rcation No.
50410.7227.2013 and authorize staff to solicit proposals.
2. Authorize the City Maîager to execute agreements with selected consulting firms.
3. Authorize the Finance Directorto execute Purchase Orders for individual projects to consultants
under agreement in accordance with the City's Financial Management Policies.
DISCUSSION
The City's Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) includes projects that improve existing infrastructure
and implement Council priorities. CIP project work includes a mix of projects designed, inspected,
and managed exclusively by City staff. In addition, there are projects which may require a range of
outside services depending on staff workload or expertise.
Using on-call consultants for a wide range of services to assist the City with delivery of its CIP has
been successfully implemented over the last fourteen years. Consultant services play an important
role in the delivery of capital plan projects. Primarily they are utilized when there is no internal
expertise, or proper facilities and equipment to conduct the work. Consultants are also utilized when
staff is unavailable due to internal workload demands. The 2013-15 CIP workload schedule has
many projects that may require soils and materials testing services for the next two fiscal years. City
staff does not have the laboratory facilities, equipment, or technical training to conduct geotechnical
and materials testing.ln 2011, Council approved Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for on-call
contracts related to soils and materials testing services. These on-call consultant contracts are due to
expire in June of this year.
Typical work performed by the soils and material testing consultants includes sampling and testing
of concrete, asphalt, soils, compaction testing, and testing soils for various types of contamination
including, but not limited to, petroleum products, hydrocarbons and lead. These consultants also
perform testing on reinforcing steel, welding, paints, coating, drilled piles, test borings, various
fabrics, and other materials used in construction. This testing ensures the City receives a quality
product, or in the case of contamination, provides proper care and disposal of material.
The RFQ solicits information from interested consultants stating their qualifications. After
evaluating the submittal packages received, the top consultants will be selected based on their
demonstrated ability to provide the requested services. Once the selected consultants have entered
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Contract Award: Soils & Materials Testing Services Page 2
into an agreement with the City, these consultants will be "on-call" to provide services for
individual projects as needed for two years.
On-call consultant services are available for use by any City department. The consultants will
operate under the conditions of the agreement included in the RFQ. Individual work scopes and fees
will be negotiated on a project by project basis. Once a project scope and fee are agreed to, the
specific work will then be authorized via a Purchase Order through the Finance Department.
FISCAL IMPACT
Issuing an RFQ does not obligate any funds for CIP consultant work. When the on-call agreements
are executed by the City Manager, and projects are identified requiring consultant services,
purchase orders will be issued and billed to the individual project accounts. The Project Manager in
conjunction with the Finance Department monitors the availability of funds;. if a project is not
adequately funded at the time services are required, staff will return to the City Council to request a
supplement to the budget prior to issuing any purchase order for the specialized work.
ALTERNATIVE
Deny RFQ.The City Council could choose to deny the RFQ process resulting in staff returning to
the previous practice of obtaining needed services for individual projects by hiring a consultant on a
project by project basis in accordance with the purchasing policy guidelines. This alternative is not
recommended by staff because of its ineffrcient, costly, and repetitive in nature to hire a single
consultant for each needed service for every individual project.
AVAILABLE FOR REVIE\il IN THE COUNCIL OFFICE
504t0.7227.2013
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