Report Prepared by: Kim Espinosa, Planning Manager, Development Services Department
Title
SUBJECT: Professional Services Agreement with Interwest Consulting Group for Engineering Services
REPORT IN BRIEF
The City Council will consider approving a Professional Services Agreement with Interwest Consulting Group for engineering services, including an acting City Engineer.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion:
A. Approving the Agreement for Professional Services with Interwest Consulting Group, Inc., to provide as needed engineering services for one year in an amount not to exceed $200,000; and,
B. Authorizing the Finance Officer to make the necessary budget adjustments; and,
C. Authorizing the City Manager to execute the above agreement.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve, as recommended by staff; or,
2. Approve, as modified by City Council; or,
3. Deny; or,
4. Refer to staff for reconsideration of specific items (to be addressed in Council motion); or,
5. Continue the item to a future City Council meeting (date and time to be specified in motion.
AUTHORITY
Charter of the City of Merced, Section 200.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Not Applicable
DISCUSSION
After the promotion of the City Engineer to the Director of Public Works, the City began recruitment for a new City Engineer. After advertising the position for some months, very few qualified applicants applied for the position. City staff interviewed the qualified candidates, and the Director of Development Services and the City Manager began negotiations with the selected candidate. Unfortunately, the candidate declined the City’s offer and no other candidates met the City’s needs for such an important management position.
While the City intends to recruit again for this position, it is necessary to have a qualified City Engineer available in the interim. Therefore, the Director of Development Services began interviewing consulting firms that could provide a contract City Engineer. Three firms were interviewed and only one, Interwest Consulting Group, had the individuals with the correct expertise and experience to meet the City’s needs.
These individuals include Jon Crawford, an engineer with over 35 years of professional experience, and Theron Roschen, an engineer with over 29 years of professional experience, who will split the position of City Engineer. Mr. Crawford will spend up to 2 days per week in Merced and Mr. Roschen will spend up to 3 days per week in Merced to oversee the Engineering Division, capital projects, etc. Other individuals will be available on an as needed basis for other engineering services.
Therefore, City staff is proposing that the City enter into a Professional Services Agreement with Interwest (Attachment 1). Interwest will provide engineering services on an as needed basis as outlined in the Scope of Services at Exhibit A of Attachment 1, for a term of one year, for an amount not to exceed $200,000. A fee schedule is provided as Exhibit B of Attachment 1.
The contract will be funded through savings in the Engineering Division’s salary and benefits, including approximately $165,000 for the City Engineer position for one year, and 2 months in salary/benefits savings for the vacant Associate Engineer position (approximately $21,000) and for the vacant Engineering Technician II position (approximately $14,000). Recruitment is on-going for those two positions and will not likely be filled until later this fiscal year.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
This contract will be funded with no new appropriation of funds in the FY 2016-17 Budget, but will utilize savings in salary and benefits for vacant positions in the Engineering Division of the Development Services Department.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Professional Services Agreement with Interwest Consulting Group, Inc.