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Item No. 6 Staff Report No. Meeting Date: June 7, 1999 Type of Business: W. K. WK: Work Session;PH:Public Hearing; CA:Consent Agenda;CB:Council Business Ci of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Michael Ulrich, Director of Public Works Item Title/Subject: Review of Request for Proposals for City Engineering Date of Report: June 2, 1999 The subject of seeking a new consulting engineer has received some discussion in past meetings. Current projects that SEH is involved with are the Realignment of Edgewood Drive, Upgrade of the Booster Station, and Woodcrest Wetland Mitigation. Upon completion of these projects, staff sees very few future projects of any significance in which extensive engineering services will be required. It appears likely that new construction standards and methods will be adopted by the City Council for future street construction projects. If the residents wish to simply have their streets overlaid or milled and overlaid, these are projects of which will require very little outside engineering. Current staff, with the addition of a seasonal employee or intern and minimal survey equipment, can perform • the necessary tasks to complete these projects successfully. A registered and designated civil engineer will be required to sign the City's report to MnDOT to receive MSA funding,both maintenance and construction funds. In light of these predictions, staff is suggesting the City advertise for engineering proposals for general services and select three (3)to five (5) firms to perform any major projects that may occur. SEH could be retained to provide information and services on minor issue of which they have past knowledge or experience of City systems. This could prove to be less costly in terms of staff time which would be required to research files and historical events to provide to a firm which does not have any prior experience in the City. Since most expenses occur during the early stages of projects, less engineering time, fewer meetings, and reduced staff and consultant time could lessen the City's overall contractual engineering services. Major street projects, City land platting, wetland delineations and plan review could be performed by any of the firms selected. These projects could be rotated through the list. It is likely that staff will find a possible preference as to a firms abilities, expenses and turn around time through this process. The City has utilized several consulting engineers and architects in past projects with various results. The earlier City Hall addition, Community Center, City Hall HVAC, Environmental surveys,Risk Management Program, Pedestrian Bridge and general land surveys are a few of the latest projects in which alternative consulting services have been utilized. Staff feels this approach could prove to be the most cost effective and efficient for the City, staff, and projects. Staff is seeking Council's direction in this matter. /A' .7 �i ael Ulrich, Director of Public Works