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Report regarding resolution to approve on-call consulting service agreements with twenty (20) selected consultants for on-call architectural, engineering, and other professional services in an amount not to exceed $3,000,000 for each firm over a three-year term. (Audriana Hossfeld, Senior Civil Engineer)
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
City staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution approving on-call consulting service agreements with twenty (20) selected consultants for on-call architectural, engineering, and other professional services for the City of South San Francisco in an amount not to exceed $3,000,000 for each firm over a three year term for the City of South San Francisco, and authorizing the City Manager to execute the agreements on behalf of the City.
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BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The City of South San Francisco (“City”) uses on-call consultant services to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of its Capital Improvement Program (CIP) delivery, development reviews, and City operations. This model has been instrumental in managing the increasing number, size, and complexity of projects while ensuring their timely completion within approved budgets.
On November 7, 2016, the City Council initially approved fifty-five (55) on-call consultant agreements for architectural, engineering, and other professional (A&E) services. This program was reauthorized on June 10, 2022, expanding the selected consultant list to seventy-nine (79) consultants to meet growing project demands.
As the City continues to implement the current CIP - consisting of 186 Council-approved projects in conjunction with development infrastructure review-maintaining this on-call consultant model remains vital. It enables City staff to focus on strategic oversight while relying on specialized consultant teams for efficient and coordinated project delivery. Without this support, the current volume of work would exceed staff capacity, resulting in delays, additional costs, and missed opportunities. Issuing separate RFPs for each project would significantly slow down implementation timelines, strain resources, and increase administrative burden.
Thanks to the City Council’s continued support of on-call A&E services, the City has successfully delivered a variety of projects that significantly enhance residents’ quality of life, mobility, environmental sustainability, and public safety. An example of some key accomplishments include:
• Linden Park project: Currently in the concept design phase, this new park aims to provide expanded recreational opportunities and vibrant public space for the community.
• Infrastructure upgrades at the Water Quality Control Plant: Critical improvements have enhanced wastewater treatment efficiency and environmental compliance, supporting the City’s sustainability goals.
• ADA curb ramps: Design and implementation of compliant curb ramps throughout the City has improved accessibility and safety for residents with disabilities, advancing equitable public infrastructure.
These successes underscore the value of the City Council’s foresight in maintaining a flexible and responsive on-call consultant model. It ensures that the City can continue to deliver high-quality infrastructure projects efficiently and effectively, in alignment with community needs and City Council priorities.
The recently approved municipal engineering services on-call was a critical action in strengthening the City’s capacity to support both capital project delivery, development review, and operations. However, based on the qualifications of the firms that applied and the outcome of the selection process, several service areas commonly needed for City projects were not sufficiently represented. This A&E on-call is intended to complement the municipal engineering services on-call by addressing those gaps, resulting in a more complete and versatile pool of on-call consultants to meet the City’s needs.
THE RFQ PROCESS
City Staff sought statements of qualification (SOQs) from firms to perform architectural, engineering, and other professional services to support the City.
The following seven (7) service areas were identified through collaboration with the Water Quality Control Plant, Economic and Community Development, Capital Projects, Parks and Recreation, and Public Works departments as critical to ongoing project delivery:
• Environmental Services
• Wastewater Treatment Support Services
• Landscape Architecture
• Utility Locating
• Municipal Finance & Engineering Services
• Cost Estimating
• Right of Way
These service areas reflect common needs across a wide range of City projects and ensure that specialized expertise is readily available when needed. Their inclusion strengthens the City’s capacity to respond to project demands efficiently without delaying schedules or overextending internal resources.
Selection of consulting services is not based on the lowest bidder, but on the firm’s expertise, experience, and references. Once the most qualified firms are determined, staff review the selected firms’ fee rates and negotiate if necessary. Because these projects are locally funded, there are no Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) requirements.
Staff issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for architectural, engineering, and other professional services on April 14, 2025, on the City’s OpenGov Procurement website. Thirty-six (36) SOQs were received on the due date of May 12, 2025. Note several firms applied for multiple service areas. Thus, forty-six (46) Service Area submittals were received. A review panel was created consisting of three Public Works staff, one Capital Projects staff and one Parks and Recreation staff.
Qualifications were evaluated based on Familiarity and Understanding of the City, Staffing, Relevant Experience, and Specific Management Approach and Methodologies. Evaluation criteria can be found in Attachment 1. Staff reviewed the scope and volume of anticipated capital and operational projects over the coming years to determine appropriate coverage across service areas. Based on this analysis and the capacity needed to support timely project delivery, staff recommends executing consultant agreements with twenty (20) firms. The list of recommended consultants is included in Attachment 2.
CONTRACT AUTHORITY
City staff recommends a contract authority of $3,000,000 per firm over a three-year term. This recommendation is the same contract authority as recently approved for the municipal services on-call based the average maximum use between the last two on-calls of $2,600,000.
The consultants will work on an on-call basis as defined by the City on a project-by-project basis. Accordingly, all work performed under the agreements will be pursuant to individual work orders that will have a specifically defined scope and schedule that will be negotiated on a project-by-project basis. Further, the individual agreements will acknowledge that the individual work orders will dictate the work done under each agreement, up to the not to exceed amount. These costs would be charged against the various projects through their sources of funding or approved operational budgets. There is no city obligation to expend any funds under these agreements.
FUNDING
There are no financial commitments associated with the proposed consultant service agreements. For an on-call work order to be processed, adequate funding must have already been allocated within the respective project to cover the on-call architectural, engineering, and other professional services costs.
RELATIONSHIP TO STRATEGIC PLAN
Approval of the architectural, engineering and other professional services on-call agreements supports the City’s Strategic Plan to improve Quality of Life by advancing the City’s Capital Improvement Program.
CONCLUSION
City Staff recommends City Council adopt a resolution approving on-call consulting service agreements with twenty (20) selected consultants for on-call architectural, engineering, and other professional services for the City of South San Francisco in an amount not to exceed $3,000,000 for each firm over a three-year term, and authorizing the City Manager to execute the agreements on behalf of the City.
Attachments:
1. Rating Criteria and Scoring
2. Recommended Consultants
3. Presentation