Title
MOTION TO APPROVE A WORK ORDER AUTHORIZATION WITH KIMLEY-HORN AND ASSOCIATES, INC. FOR ENGINEERING DESIGN SERVICES FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN PROJECT FOR THE ADDITION OF GENERATOR BACKUP POWER REDUNDANCY AND MINI-SPLIT HVAC AIR CONDITIONING TO I.T. / TELECOM ROOMS AT THE CHARTER SCHOOLS, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $233,860.
Summary Explanation and Background
PROCUREMENT PROCESS TAKEN:
- Chapter 35 of the City's Code of Ordinances is titled "PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES, PUBLIC FUNDS."
- Section 35.15 defines a Request for Qualifications as "A written solicitation for competitive sealed offers with the title, date and hour of the public opening designated. A request for qualifications shall include, but is not limited to, general information, functional or general specifications, statement of work, instructions for offer and evaluation criteria. All requests for qualifications shall state the relative importance of the evaluation criteria. The city may engage in competitive negotiations with responsible offerors determined to be reasonably susceptible of being selected for award for the purpose of clarification to assure full understanding of and conformance to the solicitation requirements. Offerors shall be accorded fair and equal treatment with respect to any opportunity for discussion and revision of offers, and such revisions may be permitted after submissions and prior to award for the purpose of obtaining the best and final offer."
- Section 35.18 of the City's Code of Ordinances is titled "COMPETITIVE BIDDING OR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS REQUIRED; EXCEPTIONS."
- Section 35.18(A) states, "A purchase of or contract for commodities or services that is estimated by the Chief Procurement Officer to cost more than $100,000 shall be based on sealed competitive solicitations as determined by the Chief Procurement Officer, except as specifically provided herein."
- Section 35.19 of the City's Code of Ordinances is titled "SEALED COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCEDURE."
- Section 35.19(A) states, "All sealed competitive solicitations as defined in §35.18 shall be presented to the City Commission for their consideration prior to advertisement."
- Florida Statute (F.S.) 287.055 is known as the “Consultant’s Competitive Negotiation Act” (CCNA).
- F.S. Section 287.055(2)(a) defines Professional services as “those services within the scope of the practice of architecture, professional engineering, landscape architecture, or registered surveying and mapping, as defined by the laws of the state, or those performed by any architect, professional engineer, landscape architect, or registered surveyor and mapper in connection with his or her professional employment or practice.”
- F.S. Section 287.055(2)(f) states “Project” means that fixed capital outlay study or planning activity described in the public notice of the state or a state agency under paragraph (3)(a). A project may include:
1. A grouping of minor construction, rehabilitation, or renovation activities.
2. A grouping of substantially similar construction, rehabilitation, or renovation activities.
- F.S. Section 287.055(3)(a)(1) states “Each agency shall publicly announce, in a uniform and consistent manner, each occasion when professional services must be purchased for a project the basic construction cost of which is estimated by the agency to exceed the threshold amount provided in s.287.017 for CATEGORY FIVE ($325,000) or for a planning or study activity when the fee for professional services exceeds the threshold amount provided in s.287.017 for CATEGORY TWO ($35,000), except in cases of valid public emergencies certified by the agency head. The public notice must include a general description of the project and must indicate how interested consultants may apply for consideration.”
- F.S. Section 287.055(2)(g) states:
(1) “A “continuing contract” is a contract for any of the following:
a. Professional services entered into in accordance with all the procedures of this act between an agency and a firm whereby the firm provides professional services to the agency for projects in which the estimated construction costs of each individual project under the contract does not exceed $7.5 million. Beginning July 1, 2025, and each July 1 thereafter, the department shall adjust the maximum amount allowed on the preceding June 30 for each individual project in a continuing contract by using the change in the June-to-June Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor. The department shall publish the adjusted amount on its website;
b. Study activity if the fee for professional services for each individual study under the contract does not exceed $500,000; or
c. Work of a specified nature as outlined in the contract required by the agency, with the contract being for a fixed term or with no time limitation except that the contract must provide a termination clause.
(2) Firms providing professional services under continuing contracts may not be required to bid against one another."
Note - Effective July 1, 2026, the Department of Management Services (DMS) adjusted the maximum estimated construction cost for each individual project under a continuing contract from $7.725 million to $8,021,250, pursuant to Section 287.055(2)(g), Florida Statutes.
- Section 35.21 of the City's Code of Ordinances is titled "AWARD OF CONTRACT."
- Section 35.21(A) of the City's Code of Ordinances is titled "City Commission approval."
- Section 35.21(A)(1) states, "An initial purchase of, or contract for, commodities or services, in excess of $100,000, shall require the approval of the City Commission, regardless of whether the competitive bidding or competitive proposal procedures were followed."
SUMMARY EXPLANATION AND BACKGROUND:
1. The City operates one of the largest municipal-run charter school system in the nation, serving over 6,000 students across five campuses. City staff have identified thirty-nine (39) I.T. / Telecom rooms across the school system that house sensitive equipment and support school network infrastructure and operations. These rooms require uninterrupted standby power and 24/7 cooling to ensure that equipment and critical systems remain operational and undamaged during any prolonged power outages and emergency conditions.
2. On July 2023, the City completed the Generator Assessment Study, prepared by Quantum Electrical Engineering, Inc., to evaluate the facilities and identify the improvements necessary to establish uninterrupted power and cooling. The results of this study were provided to Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. to provide a basis for the proposed engineering design services.
3. On January 21, 2026, the City Commission approved continuing contracts under RFQ #PSPW-23-20 for professional engineering services in accordance with the Consultants' Competitive Negotiation Act (CCNA), establishing a pool of pre-qualified consultants across multiple disciplines. Pursuant to the continuing services agreement, staff selected Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., based on their qualifications and experience, to provide engineering design services for the addition of generator backup power redundancy and mini-split HVAC air conditioning to I.T. / Telecom rooms at the charter schools.
4. In accordance with the continuing services agreement, staff conducted a scoping meeting with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. on May 12, 2026, to define the project requirements, establish the design approach, and identify coordination requirements with City departments. Based on the approved scope, Kimley-Horn submitted a proposal to provide the required engineering design and related professional services in the total not-to-exceed amount of $233,860, based on the standardized rates established under the City’s CCNA continuing services contracts, and inclusive of $500 in anticipated expenses.
5. The estimated equipment and construction cost for the full project is approximately $885,000, which will be refined through the design process and brought forward to the City Commission at a future date for consideration.
6. Staff recommends approval of the Work Order Authorization with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. for engineering design services for Capital Improvement Plan Project for the addition of generator backup power redundancy and mini-split HVAC air conditioning to I.T. / Telecom rooms at the charter schools, in an amount not to exceed $233,860.
Financial Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT DETAIL:
a) Initial Cost: $233,860
b) Amount budgeted for this item in Account No: Funds are available in account # 001-519-6001-664073-0000-000-0000- (Generator)
c) Source of funding for difference, if not fully budgeted: Not Applicable.
d) 5 year projection of the operational cost of the project: Not Applicable.
e) Detail of additional staff requirements: Not Applicable.
FEASIBILITY REVIEW:
A feasibility review is required for the award, renewal and/or expiration of all function sourcing contracts. This analysis is to determine the financial effectiveness of function sourcing services.
a) Was a Feasibility Review/Cost Analysis of Out-Sourcing vs. In-House Labor Conducted for this service? Not Applicable.
b) If Yes, what is the total cost or total savings of utilizing Out-Sourcing vs. In-House Labor for this service? Not Applicable.