Title
Resolution to Approve a Professional Services Agreements with Sam Schwartz Consulting, LLC for Safe Streets for All Grant Coordination ($1,073,636.22) and to Appropriate $855,000.00 from the Climate Action Millage Fund (8 Votes Required)
Memorandum
Attached for your review and consideration is a resolution approving a Professional Services Agreement with Sam Schwartz Consulting, LLC for Safe Streets for All (SS4A) Grant Coordination.
The City was awarded a $3.8 million dollar grant as part of the SS4A competitive grant program. These efforts are part of the implementation actives of the City’s 2021 Moving Together Towards Vision Zero Comprehensive Transportation Plan goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries on city streets by the year 2025. The scope of work awarded was for three specific elements: Quick Build, Speed Management, and Near Miss Evaluation (being handled by another contract). The scope of services of this contract includes quarterly performance and budget reporting, community engagement, construction design, management and inspection, data collection and post project evaluation over the life of the grant.
The volume of projects actively managed by the Transportation staff exceed their capacity. The proposed professional service agreement is intended to supplement and support the existing Transportation staff by providing engineering and support services necessary to fully plan, design, and execute all the Quick Build and Speed Management elements of the grant.
On May 13, 2024, the City received proposals in response to Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 24-28 from two firms. The RFP required each consultant to submit a statement of qualifications, work plan, fee schedule, and resumes of personnel that it proposed were qualified and available to work on City projects. A selection committee comprised of City staff reviewed the proposals and determined which firm was most qualified to perform the required services. The firms were evaluated and scored on several criteria:
1. Professional Qualifications (25%)
2. Past Involvement with Similar Projects (25%)
3. Proposed Work Plan (30%)
4. Fee Proposal (20%)
After reviewing and scoring the proposals, staff ranked the responding firms in the following order:
1. Sam Schwartz Consulting, LLC
2. Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc.
Based on the proposals and fee schedules submitted, the selection committee recommends awarding the contract to the top scoring firm, Sam Schwartz Consulting, LLC. Sam Schwartz Consulting, LLC is in compliance with the requirements of the City’s Non-Discrimination and Living Wage ordinances.
Budget/Fiscal Impact: The services provided through this professional service agreement will be paid up front through the Major Grants Fund and reimbursed up to 80% of eligible federal expenses ($858,908.97) on a quarterly basis from the U.S. Department of Transportation per the grant agreement. The remaining 20% will be reimbursed by the Climate Action Millage Fund’s Operations and Maintenance Budget. The entire project budget is $4,750,000.00 with 80% ($3,800,000.00) being funded by the Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant and a 20% ($950,000.00) City Match being funded by Climate Action Millage. $95,000.00 of the $950,000.00 match was appropriated with the original grant agreement acceptance resolution. This action would appropriate the remaining $855,000.00.
Staff
Prepared by: Nicholas Hutchinson, City Engineer
Reviewed by: Sue F. McCormick, Interim Public Services Administrator
Approved by: Milton Dohoney Jr., City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The City’s 2021 Moving Together Towards Vision Zero Comprehensive Transportation Plan outlines the elimination of traffic fatalities and serious injuries on city streets by the year 2025;
Whereas, The City applied for and was awarded a Safe Streets for All federal grant to move forward the objectives outlined in the Vision Zero transportation master plan;
Whereas, The proposed professional service agreement is intended to supplement the Transportation staff by providing the necessary design and engineering services to execute the Quick Build and Speed Management elements of the Safe Streets for All federal grant;
Whereas, In response to RFP No. 24-28, the City received two proposals and selected Sam Schwartz Consulting, LLC based on their professional qualifications, past experience, work plan, and fee quotations;
Whereas, The services will be paid up front from the Majors Grants Fund and will be reimbursed as per the Safe Streets for All grant agreement up to 80% of eligible federal expenses, the City’s 20% portion will be funded via the Climate Action Millage Operations and Maintenance Budget; and
Whereas, Sam Schwartz Consulting, LLC complies with the City’s Non-Discrimination and Living Wage ordinances;
RESOLVED, That the City Council approve the Professional Services Agreement with Sam Schwartz Consulting, LLC in the amount of $1,073,363.22 for Safe Streets For All Grant Coordination;
RESOLVED, That City Council appropriate the City’s matching funds of $855,000.00 from the Climate Action Millage Budget, $213,750.00 from the approved FY25 budget and $213,750.00 from the FY26, $213,750.00 from the FY27, and $213,750.00 from the FY28 budgets if so, approved by Council; thereby increasing both the revenue and expenditure budgets;
RESOLVED, That the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized and directed to execute said agreements after approval as to form by the City Attorney and approval as to substance by the City Administrator; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be authorized to take the necessary administrative actions to implement this resolution.