Agenda Item:               6B

 

                            COUNCIL COMMUNICATION

                                      City Manager’s Office

 

 

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

Agenda Date:               3/7/2005                                                                      Communication No.:     05-099

Agenda Item Type:       Resolution                                                                    Roll Call No.:                          

 

Submitted by:               Jeb E. Brewer, P.E., City Engineer

 

 

SUBJECT—

Approving and authorizing the execution of Professional Services Agreement for design services for the Southeast Connector.

 

 

SYNOPSIS—

Approve a Professional Services Agreement with Kirkham Michael & Associates (Dale Miller, President & CEO, 12700 West Dodge Road, Omaha, Nebraska), in an amount of $4,000,000 for the engineering services required for the design of the Southeast Connector from SW Second Street to SE 14^th Street and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) from SE 14^th Street to Highway 65. 

 

 

FISCAL IMPACT—

Funding for the initial consultant services agreement is available from a $5 million Federal earmark for the SE Connector (FY2005 Omnibus Appropriations, Section 117 funds).   FY 2005-06 CIP Fund CP038, Organization ENG990000, Projects STR220, STR219, STR214, Activity ID 01-2005-021, 01-2005-022, 01-2005-023

 

 

RECOMMENDATION—

Approval

 

 

BACKGROUND—

The Southeast Connector includes constructing a four-lane roadway from ML King Jr. Parkway at SW Second Street to SE 14^th/15^th Street and proceeding along the Southeast Diagonal Corridor from SE 14^th Street/Scott Avenue to the Relocated U.S. Highway 65/Vandalia Road Interchange.  This project will be completed in phases as federal, state and local matching funds become available.  On July 12, 2004, City Council approved a Request for Proposal (RFP) and selection committee comprised of City staff and community leaders.

 

On July 13, 2004, the RFP was posted on the City’s website and sent to 90 consultant firms.  The mailing list included firms prequalified by Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) in the major work categories and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) firms that perform work related to the RFP.  On August 23, 2004, six firms submitted proposals.  The firms included:  HDR, CH2M Hill, Kirkham Michael, Earth Tech, Stanley and Snyder.   The selection committee met on September 9, 2004 to discuss the proposals and select firms to interview.  The approved selection committee members ranked the proposals.  The highest-ranking firms were invited for interviews.  On September 29, 2004, interviews were held with HDR, CH2M Hill and Kirkham Michael. 

 

Kirkham Michael presented a comprehensive team of consultants that complemented each other.  Kirkham Michael will lead the design work; Wilbur Smith, Stephen R. Wells, Vice President, 235 SW Noel, Lee’s Summit, MO, will lead the environmental components of the project.  Overall, the selection committee agreed that this team would best represent the City through their approach to both public involvement and design. 

 

The scope of services in the professional services agreement includes: 

• Preliminary and final design, including storm water, bridge and roadway design from SW Second Street to SE 14^th/15^th Street.

 

• Environmental Impact Statement from SE 14^th /15^th Street to relocated US Highway 65/Vandalia Road Interchange.

 

While this base scope of services is very extensive, it will be necessary to present future supplementals to this base contract in order to completely construct the SE Connector from SW Second to SE 14^th.  The future supplementals will include construction phase services for each construction project.  The current scope includes design for a standard bridge over the Des Moines River.  If an enhanced bridge is found to be feasible and is desired, then an additional supplemental agreement will be necessary.  The decision on bridge design will be necessary by October 2005 to keep the project design on schedule.   The estimated design cost for an enhanced bridge is $500,000.  Design of significant off-site storm drainage improvements is not included in the current scope.  If through the project development, it is found that storm water improvements outside the roadway corridor are necessary and desirable then an additional supplemental agreement will be necessary.

 

The Environmental Impact Statement from SE 14^th/SE 15^th to Highway 65 does not include any design services beyond preliminary work required for the EIS.  If Federal funding is available for this next segment, additional design services will be negotiated at that time.

 

The Federal FY2005 Appropriations Act included a $5 million earmark for the SE Connector.  This funding is 100% Federal funds, with no required local match.  While the funds have been appropriated, they have not been loaded into the DOT accounting system yet for disbursement.  We will request DOT permission to allow the City to make payments from funds already appropriated.  This will allow the City to issue a Notice to Proceed on this professional services agreement, temporarily fund the work performed should there be further delay in the receipt of the federal funds and receive full reimbursement from IDOT when the funds become available.