Title
Staff Report for a Resolution of the City of San Leandro City Council to Approve Two Consultant 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 $200,000 (or a Total Amount Not to Exceed $400,000 Per Fiscal Year During the FY 2019-21 Contract Period)
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Construction activity in the City is currently high and is projected to continue for at least 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 (with TRB+Associates and CSG Consultants, Inc.) for third party plan check services for a combined not-to-exceed amount of $400,000 per fiscal year for FY2019-20 and FY2020-21 in order for the Building Division of the Community Development Department 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 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 5 years, and is expected to increase in Fiscal Years 2019-20 and 2020-21, as the high level of entitled projects begin construction. Large projects that have recently been submitted for building permits include the nonprofit Eden Housing, Inc.’s proposed 62 unit affordable rental housing development (Parrot Street Apartments) and Waste Management’s Davis Street Transfer Station masterplan improvements. Maximus Developers is expected to submit its building permit application in Summer 2019 for the recently entitled 687 unit apartments.
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 2019-21 Two Year Budget, the City Council approved appropriations of an amount not to exceed $400,000 for FY 2019-21 and $400,000 for FY 2020-21 for Third Party Plan Check consultants (see “Fiscal Impacts and Budget Authority” below for more details).
Analysis
Building and Safety Services Division conducted a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process for third party plan check firms over the last month. There were four firms that responded. The RFP responses were evaluated based on the following criteria: qualifications, experience of the firm, staffing and resources. Staff recommends the City contract with TRB+Associates (TRB) and CSG Consultants, Inc. for independent consultant plan check services, inspection services, CASp services and front counter staff.
The contracts would be for a two year period 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. The agreement with TRB is for a not-to-exceed amount of $200,000 in FY 2019-20 and $200,000 in FY 2020-21. TRB also provided third party plan check for Building and Safety Services Division over the last two years and performed very effectively.
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. The Agreement with CSG Consultants, Inc. is for a not-to-exceed amount of $200,000 in FY 2019-20 and $200,000 in FY 2020-21.
Staff recommends the City Council authorize the City Manager to enter into the two Agreements for a combined not-to-exceed amount of $400,000 per year, effective July 1, 2019, in order for the Building and Safety Services Division to continue providing plan check services in a timely manner during this period of high development activity.
Legal Analysis
The Consulting Services Agreements were reviewed by the City Attorney and approved as to form.
Fiscal Impacts and Budget Authority
This $400,000 General Fund expenditure per fiscal year is included in the City Council approved FY 2019-21 Two Year Budget under Building and Safety Services Division’s expenditure account 010-42-002-5120. Therefore, each contract will not exceed $200,000 per fiscal year in FY 2019-20 and FY 2020-21.
ATTACHMENT
Attachments to Related Legislative File
• CSG Consultants, Inc. CSA for 2019-21
• TRB+Associates CSA 2019-21
PREPARED BY: Jerome Smith Jr., Chief Building Official, and Tom Liao, Community Development Director