Title
Resolution to Approve a Professional Services Agreement with URS Corporation, Inc. (URS) for Ann Arbor Station Environmental Review (RFP No. 866; $824,875.14)
Memorandum
Attached for your review and consideration, please find a resolution to approve a professional services agreement with URS Corporation, Inc. (URS) in the amount of $761,791.40 for the environmental review related to Ann Arbor Station, including public engagement, site selection and conceptual design. The resolution establishes a contingency amount of $63,083.74 if additional public participation activities are necessary.
Project work involves the development and implementation of a Public Involvement Plan, identification and consideration of alternative sites, drafting of a Conceptual Plan for Ann Arbor Station, and completion of the Environmental Review consistent with Federal Rail Administration (FRA) policies and procedures. The work is necessary for the planning and project development of the Ann Arbor Station. The Ann Arbor Station Project includes development of an intercity passenger rail station, platforms, and transportation infrastructure for the station. Completion of these initial planning steps will enable the project to be advanced to Preliminary Engineering under the existing FRA High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Grant, and is a step toward improving Ann Arbor community access to the existing Amtrak intercity passenger rail service on the Detroit-to-Chicago corridor.
The public participation will exceed the FRA's procedural and regulatory requirements and facilitate comprehensive public input from the initial stages of site evaluation and selection and then concept design development. This robust public participation process has been designed to meet the public's interest in this project. To facilitate maximum public participation in the early phases of work, additional public participation activities, such as public workshops and site visits, were introduced during negotiations with URS and are included in the project as contingency items, if deemed necessary. These activities are intended to foster community understanding of the factors and issues involved in rail station conceptual planning and site evaluation.
The project is anticipated to begin in November 2013 and be completed on, or before, October 2014.
Funds for the professional services are budgeted in the project budget for the Ann Arbor Station NEPA/PE project approved by Council in Resolution R-12-471 on October 15, 2012. URS received Human Rights and Living Wage approval on September 18, 2013.
The City received proposals from four firms for the required professional services. The selection committee consisted of Systems Planning, Project Management, and Parks & Recreation, as well as representatives from the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority and the Michigan Department of Transportation's Office of Rail. The selection committee evaluated the proposals and selected URS using a qualifications-based selection process. The selection was based on the proposed Staff Qualifications, Past Involvement with Similar Projects, Project Team, Organization and Workload and Work Plan.
Staff
Prepared by: Eli Cooper, A.I.C.P., Transportation Program Manger
Reviewed by: Craig Hupy, P.E., Public Services Area Administrator
Approved by: Steven D. Powers, City Administrator
Body
Whereas, It is necessary to retain a qualified professional design and environmental firm to perform site selection, conceptual design and environmental review for the Ann Arbor Station project;
Whereas, Proposals were received by the Procurement Unit and evaluated by Systems Planning, Project Management, and Parks & Recreation staff as well as representatives from the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority and the Michigan Department of Transportation's Office of Rail using a qualifications-based selection process based on the proposed Staff Qualifications, Past Involvement with Similar Projects, Project Team, Organization and Workload and Work Plan;
Whereas, URS Corporation of Southfield, Michigan has submitted to the City a proposal for the necessary services, setting forth the services to be performed by said firm and the payments to be made by the City therefore, all of which are agreeable to the City;
Whereas, URS Corporation received Human Rights and Living Wage approval on September 18, 2013; and
Whereas, The required funds for the conceptual design and environmental review are available in the project budget for the Ann Arbor Station project previously approved in Resolution R-12-471 on October 15, 2012;
RESOLVED, That an Agreement for Professional Services with URS Corporation in the amount of $761,791.40 be approved for the environmental review efforts for the Ann Arbor Station project;
RESOLVED, That a contingency amount of $63,083.74 be established within the project budget and that the City Administrator be authorized to approved additional public participation activities deemed necessary as additional Amendments to the Professional Services Agreement with URS Corporation, not to exceed $63,083.74 in order to satisfactorily complete this project;
RESOLVED, That the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized and directed to execute said agreement after approval as to form by the City Attorney and approval as to substance by the City Administrator;
RESOLVED, That City Council authorize the City Administrator to approve amendments to the agreement within the project budget; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be authorized to take the necessary administrative actions to implement this resolution.