HomeMy WebLinkAbout#20 - RFP for Engineering ServicesSTAFF REPORT
DATE: September 19, 2023
REGULAR
AGENDA ITEM: Request for Proposals for Engineering Services
SUBMITTED BY: Kristina Handt, City Administrator
BACKGROUND: The city last issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Engineering Services in 2017. A 5 year contract was awarded to Focus Engineering and that was extended a year in 2022. It is best practice to solicit proposals for more professional services every 5 years or so.
Professional service contracts are not required to follow the competitive bidding procedures. However, many cities do routinely seek bids or proposals as a best management practice. The city can perform its
due diligence in reviewing options as services, technology and market conditions change over time. ISSUE BEFORE COUNCIL: Does the Council approve of the RFP for Engineering Services? PROPOSAL: A copy of the RFP is included in your packet. It provides the scope of services, proposal requirements, selection criteria and timeline for selection. Following the recommendation from the Planning/Building Operational Audit in 2021, the RFP has been updated to include some performance measures such as 2 business day response to emails/calls from city staff and two weeks to complete review of development applications. Another addition to this RFP is the exercise related to a typical city street reconstruction project. Staff from the planning, public works, and fire department were consulted in the development of the RFP.
Proposals would be due October 18th and Council interview of firms would be at the November 14th work session. Selection of the firm for a 5 year contract would be made in December with contract approval at the first meeting in January 2024.
FISCAL IMPACT: TBD
OPTIONS: 1) Approve the RFP for Engineering Services 2) Amend and then Approve the RFP for Engineering Services 3) Do not authorize issuance of an RFP for Engineering Services RECOMMENDATION: “Move to authorize issuance of RFP for engineering services.” ATTACHMENTS:
• RFP for Engineering Services
Request for Proposals
CONTRACTED GENERAL ENGINEERING
SERVICES
Issued September 20, 2023
DEADLINE—Noon
Wednesday, October 18, 2023
CONTACT: KRISTINA HANDT CITY ADMINISTRATOR 3880 Laverne Ave N Lake Elmo, MN, 55042 (651) 747-3905 khandt@lakeelmo.org www.lakeelmo.org
Introduction The City of Lake Elmo is soliciting proposals from firms interested in providing a wide variety
of general engineering services and related technical services. The firm selected will be designated as the City Engineer. The successful applicant will provide these services to the City from January 2024 to December 31, 2028. Services may include, but not be limited, to those listed in the “Scope of Services” part of this document.
The City of Lake Elmo shall not be liable for any costs incurred by the firm and/or assigns in responding to this Request for Proposal (RFP), or for any costs associated with discussions required for clarification of items related to this proposal, including any future interviews.
To be considered, one (1) paper copy and one (1) digital copy of a proposal must be received at
the City Center, 3880 Laverne Ave N, Lake Elmo, MN 55042 by Noon on Wednesday, October 18, 2023. The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals submitted. Questions regarding this request should be directed to Kristina Handt, City of Lake Elmo, 3880
Laverne Ave N, Lake Elmo, MN 55042 and 651-747-3905 or khandt@lakeelmo.org In order to
ensure a fair review and selection process, firms submitting proposals are specifically requested not to make other contacts with other City staff, Mayor or Councilmembers regarding their proposals.
During the evaluation process, the City reserves the right to request additional information or
clarifications from proposers, or to allow corrections of errors or omissions. All materials, including but not limited to paper and digital materials, that are prepared, acquired, created, or utilized to fulfill this Request for Proposal and its objectives shall become
the property of the City of Lake Elmo where allowed by law. Submission of a proposal indicates
acceptance by the firm of the conditions contained in this request for proposals, unless clearly and specifically noted in the proposal submitted and confirmed in the contract between the City and the firm selected.
The City of Lake Elmo reserves the right severally or together to reject any and all submittals,
waive any irregularities, reissue all or part of this Request for Proposal, and not award any contract, all at their discretion and without penalty. For the purposes of this agreement, the consultant shall be deemed to be an independent
contractor, and not an employee of the organization. Any and all agents or employees of the firm
or other persons, while engaged in the performance of any work or services required to be performed by the City of Lake Elmo under this agreement, shall not be considered employees of the City of Lake Elmo and any and all actions which arise as a consequence of any act or omission on the part of the firm, its agents, employees or other persons shall in no way be the
obligation or responsibility of the City of Lake Elmo. The consultant, its agents, or employees
shall not be entitled to any rights, privileges or benefits of City employees. If, for any reason, in the City’s sole opinion, the firm shall fail to fulfill in a timely and proper manner the obligations under the contract, the City of Lake Elmo shall reserve the right to
terminate the contract by specifying the date of termination in a written notice to the firm at least
thirty (30) calendar days before the termination date. In this event, the firm shall be entitled to
just and equitable compensation for any satisfactory work completed. It is anticipated the selection of a firm will be completed by January 2024. The City reserves the right to retain more than one consultant for specific duties.
Community Profile The City of Lake Elmo, incorporated in 1926, is a Minnesota Statutory City with an Optional Plan A form of government. It has a mayor elected at large for a four-year term and four council members also elected at large for four-year terms. As the policy-making body of the City, the
City Council is responsible for the overall operation of the City; however, the City Council does
not become involved in the day-to-day administration. The City Administrator is responsible for carrying out the Council’s policies and for the administration of all City business. The City encompasses about 25 square miles. The City has a population of around 13,500 and is
located in central Washington County. The City has approximately 97 miles of streets; a water
distribution system consisting of 3 water towers, 3 wells (with the need for 2 more in the next few years) and approximately 82 miles of watermain; a sewer system consisting of 36 miles of sanitary sewer main and 8 lift stations; is home to Lake Elmo Regional Park in the center of the city along with over a dozen city parks throughout the community and has four recreational
lakes. The city has both urban and rural areas. The significant population centers are located
along I-94, the Old Village area and Tri Lakes area in the northwest corner of the city. The city has struggled in recent years with water issues unique to the east metro including PFAS, TCE and the impacts of the Ramsey County District Court’s 2017 decision regarding water
levels on White Bear Lake. Water system planning including, treatment, distribution, source, and
reuse are high priorities for the City Council and staff. More information about the City of Lake Elmo can be obtained on our website at www.lakeelmo.org
Scope of Services The City of Lake Elmo is searching for a firm that will provide professional services for engineering. The general work elements shall include, but are not limited to:
A. General and Project Management
• Serves as the City’s Engineer. • Takes direction from the City Council and its designated representative. • Assists in planning, coordinating, supervising and evaluating programs, plans, services, equipment and infrastructure.
• Develops and recommends policies and procedures for effective operation of the City
consistent with City policies and relevant laws, rules and regulations and ensures council actions are implemented.
• Assists in evaluating public works needs and formulates short and long range plans to
meet needs in all areas of Public Works improvements, including streets, water, sewer,
storm drainage, street lights, parks, and buildings. • Assist with the Pavement Management Program including the rating of the condition of streets within the city. • Assists in the implementation of all water resource functions, including implementation
of the Wetland Conservation Act and Storm Water Management Plan as well as tree
preservation, screening, and erosion and sediment control as it relates to the MS4 NPDES requirements and Met Council requirements. • Provides leadership in the areas of water efficiency, conservation and irrigation storm water reuse.
• Provides engineering services on projects and oversees project management for the
construction of municipal public works projects. • Reviews land use applications and construction plans for private developments for consistency with City adopted engineering specifications, City policies and relevant, laws, rules and regulations and ensures council actions are implemented.
• Ensures that costs and fees are charged back to development projects; works with the
City Finance Director to monitor charges and revenues associated with development projects. • Assists in the planning, layout and design of City parks and trails, pedestrian routes, and other recreational amenities.
B. Construction Services • Plan and review construction projects and specifications. • Monitor the construction process for compliance with codes, regulations, standards and with approved plans; assures financial accountability of private projects as they relate to
escrows and letters of credit. Provide advice to the City during performance of
construction projects, and shall give consideration and advice to the City during the performance of services, and monitors project budget. • Prepare and/or review construction plans. • Review bids and/or prepare bid tabulations.
• Perform construction staking and surveying.
C. Preparation of Engineering Reports and Technical Correspondence • Determine the need for preliminary studies, reviews all preliminary studies for compliance with ordinances, comprehensive plans, engineering standards and financial
guidelines including:
• Feasibility reports • Construction inspection • Creates assessment rolls • Plat review
• Utility studies
• Traffic studies/signalization/signage/forecasting • State aid reports • Surface water system analysis and design • Wetland delineation and mitigation
• Capital Improvement Program studies
• Prepare comments regarding reports, plans and studies of other agencies
• Presents feasibility studies at public meetings D. City Meetings (including but not limited to the following) • Participates in internal and external meetings involving engineering questions and
issues. Attends staff developer review meetings-typically the first and third Tuesdays at
1:00 p.m. • Meets with developers and members of the public on proposed development projects in order to relate the processes and procedures involved with engineering and infrastructure development. Reviews development proposals for conformance with City standards.
• Acts as City liaison and representative with other communities and county, state and
federal agencies in areas of responsibility. • Attends City Council meetings, Council Work Sessions, and other City meetings, as needed. The Council meets on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 7:00 p.m.
E. Responds to Constituent Requests and Issues as Directed by Staff
• Performs field inspections • Addresses constituent concerns personally and in writing • Be available to the public via phone, email or scheduled meetings during the general business hours of the City of Lake Elmo (Mon-Fri, 8am-4:30pm)
• Makes public presentations
• Provides recommendations to staff and City Council F. Other Items • Identify opportunities for non-traditional engineering techniques, such as the use of
green projects, and other green design, including facilities.
• Work with other engineering firms as desired by the City on specific projects. • Update maps and utility records in coordination with Public Works and Planning staff. • Assist in inventory tracking of public infrastructure through the use of GIS and other means.
• Identify and Assist with funding solutions for infrastructure projects such as grant and
loan programs and direct legislative appropriations. • Obtain proper approval and documentation from local, state and federal authorities prior to implementing projects. • Write grant proposals as directed by City staff and City Council.
•Preparation of transportation, water, sewer and storm water components of
Comprehensive Plan update. Proposal Requirements The City of Lake Elmo expects that, at a minimum, firms must meet the following requirements:
(1) Be licensed to provide engineering services in the State of Minnesota
(2) Demonstrate experience with public sector engineering of similar size and scope of the services being requested. (3) Assign the City a licensed engineer who has a minimum of five years of experience with municipal engineering projects.
(4) Be able to provide all of the services listed in the scope pf services, either within
the organization or by using a sub-consultant.
Interested firms are to submit a written proposal to include information directly related to each of the selection criteria outlined in the Selection Process/Criteria section. At a minimum, proposals should include the following information and be limited to no more than
25 pages (not including Disclosures and Assurances or exercise example described in the
next section): (1) Firm name, address, telephone number and contact person. A one-page statement of your interest and qualifications.
(2) A brief description of the scope of similar client relationships, the name of the
person responsible for the management and administration of the contract and the name of the employee designated as City Engineer, if different, including address and telephone number. (3) Familiarity with the City of Lake Elmo.
(4) A description of the firm, including brief history, the number of employees and
their discipline, philosophy regarding client service, location, years in business, etc. (5) Resumes of the key personnel who may be assigned to conduct various general engineering service tasks.
(6) An organizational chart identifying team members and their areas of
responsibility. (7) Specifically note the services listed in the Scope of Services that will need to be done outside of your organization. List the names of sub-consultants proposed as project team members. Resumes of sub-consultants proposed as project team
members.
(8) A description of the firm’s philosophy regarding ethics, specifically addressing conflicts of interests. State any potential conflict(s) of interest (i.e. real estate developers, other units of government, etc.) that your firm may have in providing engineering services as outlined in this proposal.
(9) The firm’s current and projected workload and its ability to meet schedules
including a 2 business day response time to emails and calls from city staff and ability to complete development plan reviews within two weeks. Describe the current workload of the person who would be designated as the City Engineer and what other communities he/she represents.
(10) Discussion of the firm’s specific abilities to provide the required professional
services outlined in the Scope of Services. (11) Describe the firm’s approach to communicate and coordinate projects with the city council, city staff, private developers, residents and the media. (12) Three examples of specific knowledge and expertise including project
management skills and methodology used to monitor project budgets.
(13) Provide at least three references from public clients, two of which are from cities of similar size for whom similar services have been performed within the past five years, including references for the designated City Engineer and evidence of experience as a City Engineer for a community with population greater than
population 15,000. Reference information must include:
(a) Name of Owner
(b) Project Name (c) Contact Person (d) Address (e) Telephone Number
(f) Firm’s key personnel assigned to the referenced project
(14) Fee schedule, per staff position, which should list the current hourly rate and annual projections thereafter for 2024 through 2028. Ancillary expenses, such as overhead (often expressed as a multiple of direct labor costs), mileage, telephone, Xeroxing, markup for subcontracted services, etc. shall also be included in the
second envelope.
(15) Other factors that would be helpful in evaluating the consultant (16) Disclosures and Assurances: a) Applicant Authority: Assurance that the signatory making representations in the proposal on behalf of the proposer has the authority to do so and to bind the firm
to a contract.
b) Carrier and coverage limits for Errors and Omissions Coverage. c) Conflicts of Interest: Potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed including all private client work. a) Firm should provide a proposed contract form
Selection Process/Criteria Proposals will be reviewed as indicated in the attached timetable. City staff will determine which firms are interviewed by the City Council following a review of the proposals submitted.
As an exercise to assist in the selection criteria, we would like to receive a standard and concise
proposal with an estimated number of hours/rates/personnel for each of the following three phases: 1) a feasibility study, 2) plans and specifications and 3) field review/inspection on the following hypothetical project.
The City Council orders a feasibility study for a street project that includes bituminous removal
and replacement, replacing bituminous curb with concrete curbing, and localized water main
work to repair gate valves and hydrants. The project will be partially assessed to abutting property owners, so the feasibility study must include all necessary documentation for 429 purposes. This includes an assessment roll and estimated assessments for each property. The
total project cost for the improvements, including construction and overhead costs, is
$1,000,000.
The consultant presents the project at a Public Hearing. The project is ordered by the City Council, directs plans and specifications to be prepared and bids to be solicited.
The consultant prepares the plans and specifications for City staff review and addresses our
comments. Plans are approved by the City Council and bids are solicited. Bids are received and an excellent contractor experienced in working in Lake Elmo is the
low bid. There are limited subcontractors and they are also excellent and experienced in
working in the City. The project schedule is determined to be eight (8) weeks from start to finish.
All work occurs during normal weekday hours. Inspection is generally full time, recognizing
that there are days/times when it is not required. Inspection to be provided by a regular full time employee with at least four (4) years of related field experience. The project progresses well and there are no changed conditions or change orders. Partial and final pay estimates are prepared
by the consultant, signed by the contractor and presented to the City for processing.
The project concludes and is on budget. Final paperwork is collected by the consultant and provided to the City along with the final pay estimate. A record drawing plan set is provided in both paper and electronic form for the project.
The selection is subject to the following criteria: (1) Review of proposal and costs for hypothetical project. (2) Demonstrated experience and qualifications of assigned personnel with municipal engineering generally, and specifically the City of Lake Elmo or similarly sized
and staffed municipality.
(3) Staff capability to timely execute projects (4) Performance on similar projects as noted in the proposal requirements section (5) The firm’s policies and practices regarding ethics (6) Providing adequate liability coverage and other mechanisms to control risk.
The oral interview process will consist of each firm responding to five questions that have been provided to each firm in advance of the interview. The period to respond to these five questions will be limited to 20 minutes. Following the 20-minute response to the five questions, follow-up questions, as necessary, will be asked by the City.
Submission Submit one (1) paper copy and one (1) digital copy of the proposal indicated in the cover letter, to be entitled “RFP for General Engineering Services” on or before Noon on October 18, 2023 to:
Kristina Handt, City Administrator 3880 Laverne Ave N Lake Elmo, MN 55042
Schedule of Dates
The following schedule has been established by the City of Lake Elmo for the selection of an engineering firm to provide City engineering services.
Date Description
September 20, 203 Advertise and Mail requests for proposals October 4, 2023 Conduct Q & A session at 11am for representatives from interested firms (City Center Community Room) October 18, 2023 Proposals are due to City
November 14, 2023 (tentative) Council work session or special meeting(s) to interview
firms and direct staff to negotiate contract with selected
firm December 5, 2023 or January 2, 2024 (tentative) City Council to approve a contract with selected firm