To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: ANDREW WINJE, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
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APPROVE AN ON-CALL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH HIRSCH AND ASSOCIATES, INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION, FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $100,000 AND THE TERM ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2026
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In an effort to accelerate Capital Improvement Program (CIP) project delivery, the Public Works Department has negotiated on-call professional service agreements with engineering, architecture, and surveying firms to allow for quick assignment of smaller work tasks by setting up the contract conditions in advance. On-call service contracts are, by definition, not fully defined as to the scope, amount, and encumbrance of a funding source. To overcome these uncertainties, these contracts include a mechanism for staff to receive quotes and award work on a task-by-task basis, with a “not to exceed” limit for the amount of work awarded to a consulting firm over the life of the contract. Funding for each task comes from projects and programs that have already received Council appropriation.
The City Council has awarded a number of these contracts in the past, and they have been used successfully in numerous projects to accelerate project delivery timelines. To date, on-call consulting services agreements have helped the Public Works Department more than double the pace of annual CIP delivery. In this instance, staff is recommending a replacement agreement with the firm, rather than an amendment. The previous Agreement with Hirsch and Associates, Inc. lapsed on December 31, 2024 as the consultant was working through a change in firm ownership. The proposed replacement Agreement will allow the firm to continue work on the North Redondo Beach Bikeway Extension Project and other landscape engineering projects currently identified and funded in the CIP.
BACKGROUND
The City has been successfully using on-call consultant agreements for several years to accelerate project delivery and enhance staff’s ability to respond more quickly to urgent engineering issues. On-call service contracts are not fully defined as to scope or funding source and allow staff the ability to quickly assign smaller work tasks (e.g., geotechnical engineering, surveying, etc.) without having to develop and present an individual contract to City Council for award.
Funding sources for on-call contracts are not identified at the time of award. Rather, as tasks are assigned to an on-call vendor, the funding is assigned via purchase order from the particular project to which the work applies.
The Public Works Department Engineering Services Division (ESD) and the City Attorney’s Office worked together to develop a contract template for the RFP for on-call consulting services, which was advertised in August of 2018. The template stipulates a two-year term with a not to exceed value of $100,000. Many of these contracts have been renewed for additional terms, including the lapsed Agreement with Hirsch and Associates, Inc., and new vendors have been awarded contracts as the City’s need for on-call firms grows and changes. On-call consulting agreements provide the City with a deep and broad bench of firms to supplement staff efforts to deliver CIP projects.
As noted above, the proposed Agreement with Hirsch and Associates, Inc. would allow the firm to continue work on the North Redondo Beach Bikeway Extension Project and other landscape engineering projects currently identified and funded in the CIP. To date, Hirsch and Associates, Inc. has assisted the City with six task orders, totaling $62,110, and has proven to be a reliable provider of on-call services.
COORDINATION
The Public Works Department coordinated preparation of this item. The City Attorney’s Office approved the Agreement as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT
No additional funding is required to approve the proposed Agreement. Funding for the assigned work tasks is provided through the various associated CIP project accounts.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
• Agmt - Hirsch And Associates, Inc.