Title
Recommendation to Authorize the Acting City Manager to Execute a Third Amendment with Parsons Transportation Group, Inc., to Increase Compensation by $20,000 for a Total Not to Exceed $94,999, with the Option of Two One-Year Extensions with Compensation Not to Exceed $20,000 Per Year, for a Total Aggregate Compensation Not to Exceed $134,999, to Continue Providing Technical and Strategic Engineering Support for Major Transportation Projects. (Transportation 4227287)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Elizabeth D. Warmerdam, Acting City Manager
Re: Recommendation to Authorize the Acting City Manager to Execute a Third Amendment with Parsons Transportation Group, Inc., to Increase Compensation by $20,000 for a Total Not to Exceed $94,999, with the Option of Two One-Year Extensions with Compensation Not to Exceed $20,000 Per Year, for a Total Aggregate Compensation Not to Exceed $134,999, to Continue Providing Technical and Strategic Engineering Support for Major Transportation Projects
BACKGROUND
In August 2016, the City’s Base Reuse and Transportation Planning Department entered into a contract with Parsons Transportation Group, Inc., a well-respected engineering firm with experience in Alameda, to support the early development phases of major transportation projects, and the review of CEQA transportation documents. The City has extended the Parsons contract twice since 2016. Over the past 21 months, Parsons has provided invaluable on-call support that has helped the City obtain additional project funding and move major projects forward, including:
• Engineering concepts and cost estimates that supported the successful grant application for Clement Avenue East Extension/Tilden Way Project;
• Assistance working through the Caltrans process on the Central Avenue Complete Streets Project;
• On the Oakland Alameda Access Project, expertise in working on large capital projects with multiple agencies and development of creative concepts for improving bicycle/pedestrian access;
• Development of early concepts and possible alignments for the Estuary Crossing Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge and Transit Tube; and
• Base Reuse Projects including reviewing CEQA traffic impact reports and circulation studies prepared by developers for Alameda Point.
The City’s first contract with Parsons totaled $50,000 and the two subsequent amendments increased that amount to $74,999 (see Exhibit 1).
DISCUSSION
While the current Parsons contract extends through August 2019, the contract amount has been substantially utilized, and to continue providing the valuable technical and strategic engineering support for high-priority transportation projects the contract would need to be increased.
Addressing the City’s unique transportation issues and implementing the ambitious near and long-term solutions to mitigate the City’s traffic congestion is one of the City’s most significant work priorities at this time. In 2017, the City created a new Transportation Planning Division and two new full time planning staff positions, and in January 2018, the City adopted the Transportation Choices Plan. To support staff’s work in implementing the many ambitious, large-scale, and in many cases fully-funded transportation projects identified in the Plan, expert and highly capable transportation engineering support is needed. Parsons has the expertise in implementing and managing major transportation projects, such as the Bay Bridge design and the new Gilman Street interchange project. As well, they have a long history of working on projects in and related to Alameda, including the Broadway-Jackson Project (now called the Oakland Alameda Access Project).
With this contract amendment (Exhibit 1), Parsons would continue to provide the following on-call tasks, as needed and as directed by staff:
1. Technical and strategic engineering support in review of Oakland Alameda Access Plan designs, and help with preparing creative solutions that best meet the needs of Alameda.
2. Technical and strategic engineering support in development of designs and cost estimates for new and improved estuary crossings, including the Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge, Transit Tubes, and replacement of the Miller Sweeney Bridge.
3. Technical and strategic engineering support in reviewing and commenting on transportation plans and transportation planning efforts, including technical and strategic analysis and support for transportation grants and major projects.
4. Support in reviewing CEQA traffic impact reports and circulation studies prepared by developers for Alameda Point and other Community Development efforts, as needed.
Staff recommends amending the Parsons Transportation Group, Inc. contract in the amount of $20,000, for an amount not to exceed $94,999. Additionally the contract allows for an additional two one-year extensions at $20,000 per year, for an additional $40,000, for a total agreement compensation not to exceed $134,999, at the sole discretion of the City Manager, based upon satisfactory performance of all aspects of the contract and subject to budgetary approval.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Budget for the contract year 2018-19 ($20,000) is included in the Base Reuse and Transportation Planning Department under consultant support. The project is funded with monies allocated from the countywide transportation sales tax funds, Measures B and BB. This staff recommendation would also allow another two one-year extensions, at $20,000 per year, for a grand total of $60,000. This would be in addition to the $74,999 already authorized by the City Manager, and would result in a total contract amount of $134,999. Funding for the future years would be dependent on monies being allocated in the City’s next two-year budget.
The City Manager previously approved the original contract and the contract amendments, since they were under $75,000, as presented below:
|
Contract |
Approval Date |
Authorized Amount |
Expended to Date |
|
Original Contract |
08/09/16 |
$50,000 |
$50,000 |
|
1st Amendment |
05/03/17 |
$20,000 |
$19,600 |
|
2nd Amendment |
04/04/18 |
$4,999 |
$0 |
|
Proposed 3rd Amendment |
Pending |
$20,000 |
$0 |
|
Potential 4th Amendment |
|
$20,000 |
$0 |
|
Potential 5th Amendment |
|
$20,000 |
$0 |
|
Total |
|
$134,999 |
$69,600 |
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with the Alameda Municipal Code, and will support the implementation of the Transportation Choices Plan, adopted by the City Council in January 2018.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is for a contract which will not directly result in capital project implementation (further actions would be needed).
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the Acting City Manager to execute a Third Amendment with Parsons Transportation Group, Inc., to increase compensation by $20,000 for a total not to exceed $94,999, with the option of two one-year extensions with compensation not to exceed $20,000 per year, for a total aggregate compensation not to exceed $134,999, to continue providing technical and strategic engineering support for major transportation projects.
Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer Ott, Transportation Planning Director
By,
Rochelle Wheeler, Senior Transportation Coordinator
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Elena Adair, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Previous Agreements
2. Third Amendment to Service Provider Agreement