Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Two-Year Agreement with RRM Design Group to Prepare a City Facilities Plan in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $497,462; and
Adoption of Resolution Amending the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Operating Budget Appropriating $500,000 of Earned Interest from Project C99300 to the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Non-Departmental Operating Budget.
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), this action is categorically exempt from further environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15262 (Feasibility and Planning Studies). (City Manager 10021030)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Alameda (City) needs to evaluate and plan for the future needs of certain major City facilities that require in depth analysis beyond the capacity of the City’s standard annual capital facility repair and rehabilitation process. This is due to updated professional or seismic standards, aging facilities, growing demand for services, and encroaching residential uses, including certain public works and fire facilities and the animal shelter. As a result, City staff issued a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) for professional services to prepare a City Facilities Plan to assist the City in evaluating and planning for the future of these key facilities and received four proposals. After a thorough review process, City staff recommends executing a contract with RRM Design Group, who have significant experience in future space planning, relocation and siting assessments and architectural and engineering analysis related to both rehabilitation and new construction of similar types of facilities. The proposed City Facilities Plan will lay the groundwork for future land use, budget and financing policy and operational decisions.
BACKGROUND
There are certain major City facilities needed for operations that require in-depth space planning, siting and feasibility analysis due to aging existing facilities, updated professional or seismic standards, growing demand for services, and encroaching residential uses. The level of effort required for this work exceeds the capacity of the City’s annual facilities capital improvement process. The major facilities that require detailed evaluation consist of the following:
|
City Facility |
Address |
Status |
Potential Issues |
|
Fleet Services Garage |
2040 Grand St |
On a large City parcel that also includes Alameda Municipal Power |
Outdated facility service needs for large fire vehicles |
|
Maintenance Service Center (MSC) |
1616 Fortmann Way |
Currently co-located/close proximity with Animal Shelter, and surrounded by new residential areas |
Growing service needs; potential for noise and other residential concerns; electrification |
|
Alameda Recreation and Parks Corporation Yard |
Not applicable |
Future need |
No formal facility for park vehicles and other needs |
|
Alameda Animal Shelter |
1590 Fortmann Way |
Currently co-located/close proximity with MSC, and surrounded by new residential areas |
Growing service needs; increased noise and other residential concerns |
|
Fire Station 2 |
635 Pacific Avenue |
New and/or substantial rehabilitation or new consolidated facility |
Outdated facility not sized or modernized for current or future firefighting needs and standards |
|
Fire Station 5 |
950 West Ranger Road (closed in 2009) |
New and/or substantial rehabilitation or new consolidated facility |
Growing service needs; outdated facility not sized or modernized for current or future firefighting needs and standards |
|
Fire Station 1 |
2401 Encinal Avenue |
Seismic analysis and modernization upgrades |
Outdated facility not modernized for current or future firefighting needs and standards |
|
Fire Station 4 |
2595 Mecartney Road |
Seismic analysis and modernization upgrades |
Outdated facility not modernized for current or future firefighting needs and standards |
|
Fire Training Facility |
950 West Ranger Road |
New or substantial rehabilitation, currently co-located with vacant Station 5 |
Outdated facility not modernized for current or future firefighting needs and standards |
As a result, the City issued an RFP for professional consultant services to prepare a City Facilities Plan to assist the City in evaluating and planning for the future of the key major facilities outlined above, with the potential for renovated, relocated and/or newly constructed space. The proposed City Facilities Plan project will lay the groundwork for future land use, budget, and financing policy and operational decisions.
DISCUSSION
In response to the RFP, the City received the following four responsive proposals:
• Dialog Design
• Griffin Structures
• RRM Design Group
• Siegel & Strain Architects
After a thorough review process including evaluation of the written submittals and conducting interviews with the top-rated proposers, and reference checks, RRM Design Group’s proposal was determined to provide the best overall value to the City based on a combination of firm/team qualifications and experience and competitive pricing. Therefore, City staff recommends executing a contract with RRM Design Group, who specialize in architectural, design, and other project management work, as well as having significant experience in future space planning, relocation and siting assessments and architectural and engineering analysis related to both rehabilitation and new construction of similar facilities, including public works and fire facilities. The RRM Design Group team consists of other specialized services, including Biggs Cardosa for structural engineering, 3C Engineering for mechanical and plumbing, Thoma Electric for electrical, and Mack 5 for cost estimating. RRM Design Group prepared similar studies, including a Public Works/Utilities Department Corporation Yard for the City of San Luis Obispo; Fire Facilities Needs Assessment for the County of Santa Barbara; Fire Department Training Center & Vehicle Maintenance Facility for the City of Fresno; and a Fire Station Facilities Assessment for the City of Salinas.
The proposed scope of work includes implementing the following tasks over a 12-month timeframe:
1. Task 1: Project Initiation, Information Gathering, and Initial Analysis. This task includes attending a launch meeting; review of available documents; physical walk throughs; and stakeholder interviews with internal facility users and managers.
2. Task 2: Future Building Programming and Needs Projection. This task consists of preparing staffing projections, a space needs outline, and graphic representations of certain specialized spaces and needs.
3. Task 3: Identify Alternatives and Preferred Site Locations on City-Owned Property. This task is comprised of identifying City-owned sites for accommodating projected needs; development and analysis of site options, including identification of preferred options; a City Council study session; and up to two community meetings.
4. Task 4: Prepare Draft and Final Facilities Plan for Preferred Site Locations. This task includes preparation of a draft and final City Facilities Plan document; outreach for stakeholder input and a City Council presentation.
The total budget for the above proposed scope of work is $482,462. Exhibit 1 includes the proposed agreement with a detailed scope of work and schedule in Exhibit A and a detailed budget in Exhibit B. Staff recommends adding a contingency of $15,000 for a total authorized contract amount of $497,462. The use of the contingency amount is at the sole discretion of the City.
ALTERNATIVES
• Authorize the City Manager to execute a two-year agreement with RRM Design Group to prepare a City Facilities Plan in an amount not-to-exceed $497,462; and adopt a Resolution amending the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Operating Budget appropriating $500,000 of earned interest from Project C99300 to the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Non-Departmental Operating Budget;
• Do not authorize the City Manager to execute a two-year agreement with RRM Design Group to prepare a City Facilities Plan and provide alternative direction to staff on how to plan for the future needs of the City’s major facilities.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The proposed total budget for the City Facilities Plan is $497,462. This action also requires adopting a Resolution amending the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Operating Budget appropriating $500,000 of available and unencumbered earned interest from Project C99300 to the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Non-Departmental Operating Budget.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action supports Strategic Priority, “Invest in Transportation, Infrastructure, Economic Opportunities & Historic Resources” in the City’s Strategic Plan.
This action is subject to the Levine Act.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
In accordance with CEQA, this action is categorically exempt from further environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15262 (Feasibility and Planning Studies).
CLIMATE IMPACT
The City Facilities Plan will incorporate the need for electrification of buildings and fleet into its planning of any rehabilitated or new facilities.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager to execute a two-year agreement with RRM Design Group to prepare a City Facilities Plan in an amount not-to-exceed $497,462; and adopt a resolution amending the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Operating Budget appropriating $500,000 of earned interest from Project C99300 to the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Non-Departmental Operating Budget.
Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer Ott, City Manager
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibit:
1. Agreement with RRM Design Group
cc: Erin Smith, Public Works Director
Nichloas Luby, Fire Chief