Title
Staff Report for a City of San Leandro City Council Resolution to Approve Two Consulting Services Agreements for Third Party Plan Check Services Between the City of San Leandro and CSG Consultants, Inc. for $200,000 and TRB+Associates for $300,000 in FY2021-2022 (for a Total Amount Not to Exceed $500,000)
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Construction activity in the City remains high and is projected to continue to remain so in the next few years. Third party plan check consultants assist the City in managing the workload in order to meet deadlines and provide quality customer service.
Staff recommends the City Council authorize the City Manager to enter into two Consultant Services Agreements, one with TRB+Associates for $300,000 and another with CSG Consultants, Inc. for $200,000 for third party plan check services (for a combined not-to-exceed amount of $500,000) in FY2021-2022. This enables the Building and Safety Services Division (Building) of the Community Development Department (CD) to continue providing plan check services in a timely manner, provide Certified Access Specialist (CASp) services as required by California statute and to supplement current staffing during this period of significant development activity.
BACKGROUND
The City of San Leandro’s Building and Safety Services Division of the Community Development Department ensures minimum standards to safeguard life, limb, health, property and public welfare by regulating and controlling the design, construction, quality of materials, use and occupancy, locations and maintenance of buildings and structures within the City through plan review, permit issuances and inspections.
The volume of construction activity, as well as the type and complexity of projects, has increased significantly and remained high since 2013. Between 2007 and 2012, the average annual construction valuation of building permit activity in the City was $62 million. Since 2013, valuation, number and complexity of permits have increased significantly. Building permit construction valuation has remained at $130 Million or higher over the past 7 years, and is expected to increase or remain high in Fiscal Years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023, as entitled projects submit for building permits and/or begin construction. Notable projects anticipated to apply for building permits and/or begin construction in FY2021-2022 include: 221 affordable rental units at 110 East 14th Street and 497 rental units (of which 50% will be affordable) in Bay Fair Mall on the former King Family parcels.
Third party plan check consultants assist the City during times of high activity to meet deadlines and enable the City to provide quality customer service. Under the City Council approved FY 2019-2021 Two Year Budget, the City Council approved appropriations of an amount not to exceed $500,000 for FY 2021-2022 and $400,000 for FY 2022-2023 for Third Party Plan Check consultants (see “Fiscal Impacts and Budget Authority” below for more details).
Analysis
Building conducted a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process for third party plan check firms in Spring 2018. The City selected TRB+Associates (TRB) and CSG Consultants, Inc. for independent consultant plan check services, inspection services, CASp services and front counter staff and entered into a contract with both firms for FY2019-2202 and FY2020-2021. Because both firms performed effectively with key services such as quality plan check reviews, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Floodplain technical assistance, and temporary inspector services, the Building would like to continue contracting with both firms in FY2021-2022.
The FY2021-2022 contracts would each be for a one year period (July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022) and include a provision for fixed fee plan check review charged as a percentage of the City’s established plan check fees. Staff augmentation would be paid based on the hourly rates established for the various positions.
TRB was established in 2006 and is headquartered in San Ramon. TRB was selected because of the size of its engineering staff, its considerable experience with complex construction methods and the quality of past work.
CSG Consultants, Inc. was established in 1991 and is based in Foster City. It performs work only for public agencies and provides plan check services and staffing (inspectors, plan checkers and technicians) throughout the western United States.
Legal Analysis
The Consulting Services Agreements were reviewed by the City Attorney and approved as to form.
Fiscal Impacts and Budget Authority
This $500,000 General Fund appropriation for FY2021-2022 is included in the City Manager’s Proposed FY 2021-2023 Budget under the Building and Safety Services Division’s account 010-42-002-5120. The agreement with TRB is for a not-to-exceed amount of $300,000 in FY 2021-2022. The Agreement with CSG Consultants, Inc. is for a not-to-exceed amount of $200,000 in FY 2021-2022.
ATTACHMENT
Attachments to Related Legislative File
• CSG Consultants, Inc. CSA for FY 2021-22
• TRB+Associates CSA for FY 2021-22
PREPARED BY: Michael Jeffery, Chief Building Official, and Tom Liao, Community Development Director