AGENDA #4c

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:      Resolution Authorizing the Manager to Negotiate and to Execute a Contract for Consultant Services Associated with the Development of a Stormwater Management Program Master Plan

 

DATE:            September 12, 2005

 

 

The attached resolution would authorize the Manager to negotiate and to execute a contract with Jewell Engineering Consultants, PC for the development of a Stormwater Management Program Master Plan for the Town of Chapel Hill including optional annual contract extensions for up to four subsequent fiscal years subject to funding availability each year and satisfactory performance by the consultant.

 

BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION

 

In November 2003, the Council received a status report regarding the development of a stormwater management utility.  This report included a list of stormwater management program priorities, the first of which was the “development and implementation of a comprehensive Stormwater Management Program Master Plan that supports all of the Program priorities.”  During its deliberations about the proposed stormwater management utility, the Council was in agreement about the importance of the development of a Stormwater Management Program Master Plan.

 

In June 2004, The Town Council enacted “An Ordinance Establishing a Stormwater Management Utility and a Stormwater Management Utility Advisory Board for the Town of Chapel Hill.”  Appointments to the Stormwater Management Advisory Board were completed in January 2005.  Subsequently, Town staff and the Advisory Board prepared a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) document to be used in soliciting consultants interested in contracting with the Town for preparation of a master plan to guide development and implementation of the Town’s stormwater management program.  The RFQ was sent to 42 consulting firms on May 24, 2005 and a pre-submittal meeting was held on June 2, 2005 with 24 people in attendance representing 20 consulting firms.  Eight consulting firms submitted qualification statements by the July 5, 2005 deadline.

 

The Stormwater Management Advisory Board appointed two of its members to represent the Board on a selection panel that included Town staff from the Engineering and Planning Departments.

 

 

The selection panel reviewed all RFQ submittals, and agreed on the following firms to interview:

 

1.           AMEC Earth and Environmental, Inc. teamed with HDR Engineering, Inc.

2.           Carter Burgess teamed with Carolina Ecosystems, Inc.; Limno-Tech, Inc.; and PROS Consulting, LLC

3.           W. K. Dickson & Co., Inc.

4.           The Rose Group, Inc. teamed with Tetra Tech, Inc.; Clarion Associates LLC; and USInfrastructure of Carolina, Inc.

5.           Jewell Engineering Consultants, PC

 

Interviews were conducted on July 28th and 29th and the consultants were evaluated based on: technical expertise; understanding of the planning process; experience with public participation activities; creativity and innovation; structure/organization of the team and presentation skills; written and oral communication skills; and references.

 

We sought a consultant capable of assisting the Town in developing a dynamic, comprehensive and cohesive master plan that would identify levels of service and policies necessary to address the Town’s objectives and mandates for comprehensive community-wide stormwater management.  The master plan would also need to specify, prioritize and schedule short-term and long-term actions necessary to achieve the identified objectives and mandated requirements.

 

Following conclusion of the interviews, the selection panel evaluated each presentation and agreed on the top three consulting firms.  Town staff then conducted reference checks and the selection panel met again on September 1st to finalize its recommendation for a stormwater management master plan consultant.  The panel selected Jewel Engineering Consultants as its top pick, and the Rose Group as its alternative selection.  Attachment #1 is a copy of the selection panel recommendation submitted to the Manager and to the Stormwater Management Advisory Board.

 

Development of the Stormwater Management Program Master Plan is expected to be a multi-year, multi-phase process that would be contingent upon funding availability in succeeding years.   The Town expects to continue the relationship with the selected consultant for a period of up to five years, provided that the consultant’s performance is satisfactory and that funding is available.  Contract extensions would be evaluated each year.  The FY 2005-2006 Stormwater Utility Fund budget includes $150,000 for professional services to conduct the first year’s stormwater management master planning efforts.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

That the Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing the Manager to negotiate and to execute a contract, not to exceed $150,000.00, with Jewell Engineering Consultants, PC for the development of a Stormwater Management Program Master Plan for the Town of Chapel Hill, including optional annual contract extensions for up four subsequent fiscal years subject to funding availability each year and satisfactory performance by the Consultant.

 

If successful negotiations cannot be accomplished with Jewell Engineering Consultants, PC, adoption of the attached resolution would authorize the Manager to negotiate and to execute a contract, not to exceed $150,000.00, with The Rose Group, Inc. (teamed with Tetra Tech, Inc.; Clarion Associates LLC; and US Infrastructure of Carolina, Inc.) for the development of a Stormwater Management Program Master Plan for the Town of Chapel Hill, including optional annual contract extensions for up four subsequent fiscal years subject to funding availability each year and satisfactory performance by the Consultant.

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

1.         Selection Panel Recommendation (p. 5).

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH JEWELL ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS, PC FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM MASTER PLAN (2005-09-12/R-3)

 

WHEREAS, the Town of Chapel Hill requested statements of qualifications from firms interested in providing consulting services to the Town for the development of a Chapel Hill Stormwater Management Program Master Plan; and

 

WHEREAS, the Town received eight statements of qualifications from interested firms and a selection panel conducted interviews with five of those firms; and

 

WHEREAS, of the five firms interviewed, Jewell Engineering Consultants, PC was the top choice of the selection panel, and The Rose Group, Inc. (teamed with Tetra Tech, Inc.; Clarion Associates LLC; and US Infrastructure of Carolina, Inc.) was the second choice of the selection panel;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council authorizes the Manager to negotiate and to execute a contract, not to exceed $150,000.00, with Jewell Engineering Consultants, PC for the development of a Stormwater Management Master Plan for the Town of Chapel Hill, including optional annual contract extensions for up four subsequent fiscal years subject to funding availability each year and satisfactory performance by the consultant.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, if successful contract negotiations cannot be accomplished with Jewell Engineering Consultants, PC, the Council authorizes the Manager to negotiate and to execute a contract, not to exceed $150,000.00, with The Rose Group, Inc. (teamed with Tetra Tech, Inc.; Clarion Associates LLC; and US Infrastructure of Carolina, Inc.) for the development of a Stormwater Management Master Plan for the town of Chapel Hill, including optional annual contract extensions for up four subsequent fiscal years subject to funding availability each year and satisfactory performance by the consultant.

 

This the 12th day of September, 2005.