TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute agreements for as-needed architectural services with expertise in sustainable and LEED-certified designs with the City selected firms Gruen Associates, WWCOT, Transystems Corporation, and Gonzalez Goodale Architects, in the amount not to exceed $200,000 per consultant, for a two-year term;
Authorize City Manager to execute agreements for as-needed design firms for LEED-certified architectural design services with the Redevelopment Agency (RDA) selected firms Dougherty and Dougherty Architects, Sparano and Mooney Architects, and Gonzalez Goodale Architects in the amount not to exceed $200,000 per consultant, for a two-year term;
Authorize that all seven of the above as-needed design contracts can jointly be used by the City and by the RDA; and
Execute amendments to the agreements, relative to extending the terms for up to two additional one-year terms, authorize additional services, if required, within the provisions of the agreements, and adjust the fee schedule of hourly rates for inflation as appropriate and if funds are available. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The City of Long Beach has historically used professional consultants on an as-needed basis to provide design plans, specifications, special studies and reports, and other related services for capital projects related to facility and building improvements. These asneeded services include state-of-the-art expertise in building architecture, both exterior and interior, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering involved in sustainable and LEED-certified designs. These services are needed as the Department of Public Works (PW) and RDA do not have sufficient specialized expertise in some of these fields, including LEED-certified building architecture and mechanical and electrical sustainability engineering.
In anticipation of this need, PW issued a Request for Qualifications/Request for Proposal (RFQ/RFP) in accordance with Administrative Regulation 8-4 to secure these needed professional services. On a parallel path, the RDA solicited bids from architectural design firms to provide architectural services that incorporate LEED design criteria on an as needed basis for RDA-funded public facility projects.
PW received thirty-four (34) formal written proposals from prime consulting firms. A multi-departmental Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) reviewed the written proposals, interviewed a shortlist of the aforementioned respondents, and selected the following four firms to provide the scope of professional services based on the requirements and stipulations of the RFQ/RFP, and on each firm's written proposal and oral interview performance. These four prime firms represent one local Long Beach and two certified MBE firms:
· Gruen Associates, 6630 San Vicente Blvd., Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90048
· WWCOT, 3130 Wilshire Blvd., 6th Floor, Santa Monica, CA 90403
· Transystems Corporation, 6700 East Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 201, Long Beach, CA 90803
· Gonzalez Goodale Architects, 135 West Green Street, Suite 200, Pasadena, CA 91105
In like fashion, the RDA received fourteen (14) firm proposals from which six were interviewed. The following three were selected based on their extensive experience in working with public agencies to successfully incorporate sustainable features in accordance with LEED requirements. They also demonstrated success in designing the type and scale of public facilities the Agency has planned for development:
· Dougherty and Dougherty Architects, 3194 D Airport Loop Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
· Sparano and Mooney Architects, 642 Moulton Avenue, Studio W4, Los Angeles, CA 90293
· Gonzalez and Goodale Architects, 135 West Green Street, Suite 200, Pasadena, CA 91105
Staff would like to ensure that public projects receive the same level of expertise and focus on LEED-certified architectural design by using the same consultants. Therefore, staff seeks to include the RDA's selected architects in the PW pool of consultants. Similarly the RDA will include the PW consultants in their pool of consultants. In this way, staff anticipates a uniform and consistent application of LEED-certified design on all public projects.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Linda Trang on August 17, 2009, and by Budget and Performance Management Bureau Manager David Wodynski on July 30, 2009.
SUSTAINABILITY
Green buildings are important for sustainability because buildings account for 40 percent of energy use nationwide. Green buildings use less energy, use recycled and non-toxic building materials, generate less construction waste, have better indoor air quality, and generally have a smaller carbon footprint than traditional buildings. The average green building uses 30 percent less energy and 30-50 percent less water than a comparable building. Furthermore, the City's Green Building Policy for Municipal Development requires that new City buildings over 7,500 square feet be built to the LEED-Certified standard.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council approval is requested on September 1, 2009, to allow a continued timely output of public projects in connection with the PW's Capital Improvement Program, RDA goals and objectives, and the City's Green Building Policy.
FISCAL IMPACT
The seven agreements are for a maximum aggregate total not to exceed $1,400,000.
These agreements are on an as-needed basis, and the firms will not be utilized except in cases where project funding is already appropriated. Therefore, no current appropriation increase is requested. Sufficient funds to cover these costs are budgeted in various funds in the Capital Improvement Program in the Department of Public Works (PW) and within the RDA.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
MICHAEL P. CONWAY
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
CRAIG BECK
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
|
APPROVED: |
|
|
|
|
|
PATRICK H. WEST |
|
CITY MANAGER |