TITLE
Recommendation to adopt Specifications No. RFP DV21-062 and award a contract to Nabih Youssef & Associates, of Los Angeles, CA, for a survey of existing buildings, in the amount of $769,000, with a 15 percent contingency in the amount of $115,350, for a total contract amount not to exceed $884,350, for a period of two years, with the option to renew for three additional one-year periods, at the discretion of the City Manager; and, authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to enter into the contract, including any necessary amendments; and
Increase appropriations in the Development Services Fund Group in the Development Services Department by $250,000, offset by funds available. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is requested to enter into a contract with Nabih Youssef & Associates to perform a survey of existing buildings that will be used for the development of a Building Resiliency Program (Program). The City previously considered performing a similar inventory but due to competing priorities, it was placed on hold. Following the July 2019 Ridgecrest earthquake, which caused significant damage, this item was revisited. This item came to the City Council on March 13, 2018, but was requested to delay the item to the future. City staff has reviewed similar efforts throughout California and proposes to commission an inventory of City-owned structures throughout Long Beach to best inform the development of a program to guide the City’s future seismic resiliency efforts.
The inventory of seismically vulnerable buildings throughout Long Beach, will include the following five different building types:
• Soft, weak or open-front walls, wood frame buildings;
• Reinforced concrete or masonry buildings with flexible diaphragm;
• Non-ductile concrete buildings with masonry infill;
• Non-ductile concrete buildings; and,
• Steel Moment Frame buildings pre-Northridge Earthquake.
The work performed under this contract will result in a database that can be incorporated into the City’s Geographic Information System (GIS) and will assist in development of recommended retrofit programs to reduce the number of seismic hazards of the five building types. The recommendations will include estimates for the necessary mitigation for each building type and preliminary engineering cost estimates. The inventory is estimated to take approximately 18 months to complete and will assist the City in prioritizing the steps necessary to improve seismic resiliency.
The Request for Proposals (RFP) was advertised in the Long Beach Press-Telegram on May 21, 2021, and 1,131 potential proposers specializing in professional, scientific, architectural and technical services, civil engineering, and construction were notified of the RFP opportunity. Of those proposers, 46 downloaded the RFP via the City’s electronic bid system. The RFP document was made available from the Purchasing Division, located on the 6th floor of City Hall, and the Division’s website at www.longbeach.gov/purchasing <http://www.longbeach.gov/purchasing>. An RFP announcement was also included in the Purchasing Division’s weekly update of Open Bid Opportunities, which is sent to 38 local, minority-owned, and women-owned business groups. There were five proposals received by the RFP due date, July 8, 2021. Of those five proposers, none were Minority-owned Business Enterprises (MBEs), none were Women-owned Business Enterprises (WBEs), one was a certified Small Business Enterprise (SBE), and none were Long Beach vendors (Local). The selection committee determined that Nabih Youssef & Associates, of Los Angeles, CA (not a MBE, WBE, SBE, or Local), was the most qualified firm to provide the services.
The selected firm demonstrated competence and experience in conducting seismic evaluations, including personnel who have performed similar evaluations throughout the local area. The firm’s proposal offers competitive pricing and program timing that provides flexibility to adjust project priorities as needed and includes collaboration with two local Long Beach firms providing services for engineering and GIS image processing.
Local Business Outreach
To align with the City’s outreach goal, Long Beach businesses are encouraged to submit proposals for City contracts. The Purchasing Division also assists businesses with registering on the PlanetBids database to download RFP specifications. Through outreach, 47 Long Beach vendors were notified to submit proposals, of which 2 downloaded and both of these two submitted a proposal. The Purchasing Division is committed to continuing to perform outreach to local vendors to expand the bidder pool.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Erin Weesner-McKinley on December 13, 2021, Business Services Bureau Manager Tara Mortensen on December 7, 2021, and by Budget Operations and Development Officer Rhutu Amin Gharib on December 27, 2021.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action to adopt Specifications No. RFP DV21-062 and award a contract concurrently is requested on January 18, 2022, to ensure the contract is in place expeditiously.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total amount of the contract will not exceed $884,350, inclusive of a 15 percent contingency. The Department of Development Services staff will authorize Program implementation in phases, with one phase for each of the five building types. While it is expected that the full scope of work will span 18 months, only the first phase is anticipated for completion this fiscal year. Therefore, an appropriation increase of $250,000 is requested in the Development Services Fund Group in the Development Services Department, offset by funds available. The department will return to the City Council to request additional appropriation as necessary for the remaining phases. This recommendation has no staffing impact beyond the normal budgeted scope of duties and is consistent with existing City Council priorities. There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
OSCAR W. ORCI
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
APPROVED:
THOMAS B. MODICA
CITY MANAGER