Title
MOTION TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED WORK AUTHORIZATION 2023-01 WITH CAROLLO ENGINEERS, INC. PURSUANT TO THE AWARD OF RFQ # PSUT-22-02 "CCNA CONTINUING SERVICES FOR PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM ENGINEERING AND RELATED SERVICES", IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $133,976.00
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."
- 35.18(A) states, "A purchase of or contracts for commodities or services that is estimated by the Chief Procurement Officer to cost more than $25,000 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 “A “continuing contract” is a contract for 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 $4 million, for study activity if the fee for professional services for each individual study under the contract does not exceed $500,000, or for 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. Firms providing professional services under continuing contracts shall not be required to bid against one another."
- 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 $25,000, 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. On June 21, 2023, the City Commission approved a continuing engineering services contract with Carollo Engineers, Inc. pursuant to the award of RFQ # PSUT-22-02 "CCNA Continuing Services for Public Water System Engineering and Related Services" in accordance with Florida Statute 287.055, Consultants Competitive Negotiations Act (CCNA), for a five-year period.
2. In lieu of establishing a maximum contract value, the Utilities Department Staff proposed to present every work authorization under this contract in excess of the threshold ($25,000) stated under Section 35.21(A)(1) of the City's Code of Ordinances, to the Commission for approval. The submittal is to include the Consultant’s proposed fee as well as the available budget and relevant account number.
3. Staff identified four engineering related tasks over the past two years that are needed but were placed on hold until this general water system engineering contract was procured. Now that the contract is in place, Staff has solicited and negotiated a work authorization proposal from Carollo to perform these tasks. Specifically, they are:
• WTP Filter Performance Evaluation - Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the water treatment plant (WTP) filters to determine their condition and performance, and to optimize operation of the filters.
• Liquid Ammonia Conversion Evaluation - Evaluate the feasibility of converting the WTP gaseous ammonia storage and dosing system to a liquid ammonium sulfate system. Gaseous ammonia is a hazardous gas and conversion to a liquid system, if feasible, is much safer for WTP operators and the surrounding environment. Implementation of a liquid ammonia system may also result in operational cost savings.
• Ion Exchange System Performance Evaluation - Assess the performance of the ion-exchange treatment system at the WTP and the department’s current plan for piping improvements to that system to confirm the advisability and feasibility of the proposed project. The performance assessment may result in operational efficiencies and the piping improvements are intended to provide emergency redundancy of the WTP clear well in case of clear well failure or maintenance.
• Flethcher Park Monitoring Well Evaluation - There are two groundwater monitoring wells located within Fletcher Park. These are legacy wells that may no longer be needed and have been tampered with in the past because of their location. Carollo to research the purpose of these wells and advise if they may be abandoned. If so, include options for abandonment.
4. Staff has negotiated a project cost of $133,976.00, and believes this cost is fair, competitive, and reasonable.
5. Staff recommends City Commission approval of the proposed work authorization 2023-01 with Carollo Engineers, Inc. pursuant to the award of RFQ # PSUT-22-02 "CCNA Continuing Services for Public Water System Engineering and Related Services", in an amount not to exceed $133,976.00.
Financial Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT DETAIL:
a) Initial Cost: $133,976.00
b) Amount budgeted for this item in Account No: $133,976.00 in account 471-533-6031-531100-0000-000-0000 (Professional Svc - Engineering)
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.