Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem FAGENDA REPORT DATE: January 28, 2002 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council THRU: John B. Bahorski, City Manager FROM: Lee Whittenberg, Director of Development Services SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF CONTRACT - BUILDING DEPARTMENT CONTRACT SERVICES, CHARLES ABBOTT ASSOCIATES, INC. SUMMARY OF REOUEST: Approve contract for Building Inspection and Plan Check services with Charles Abbott Associates, Inc. and authorize the City Manager to execute the contract. BACKGROUND: The Building Inspector and Permit Technician within the Building Department have retired and the City is desirous of providing those services through a contractual arrangement that will provide greater flexibility in responding to future building and engineering work loads anticipated over the next three to five years. The Senior Building Inspector will remain a City position. On November 7, 2001 the Department of Development Services released a "Request For Proposals - Building Plan Check And Inspection Services" C RFF). The following firms responded to the targeted RFP: • Berryman & Henigar • Charles Abbott Associates, Inc. • Hayer Consultants Incorporated • Melad and Associates Interviews were held with the four responding firms on December 13, 2001. Staff has been reviewing the proposals, verifying references, and negotiating the final contract provisions with the selected firm, Charles Abbott Associates, Inc. The Consultant will be responsible for the functions associated with the enforcement of the City's building regulations, including plan check, inspection and administrative /filing functions. AGENDA ITEM L C.Wy DacumrnUTMLDMG�002 Contl Se kice.CC Staff Re n.d.c WI-2x02 Approvalofituilding Inspection and Plan Check Contract Services Agreement t City Council Staff Report January 28, 2001 The City requested the consultant to provide a Permit Technician that is able to respond to basic building and engineering questions, and issue certain types of administrative permits over the counter without supervision of either the Senior Building Inspector, the Director of Development Services or the Assistant City Engineer. This individual would replace the existing Building Department Permit Technician and be responsible for those Building Department functions along with providing services at the direction of the Assistant City Engineer. In addition, the City requested the consultant to provide code compliance services related to building, planning and engineering matters. The Assistant Planner currently provides code compliance services and it is the desire of the City to transfer those functions to the Building Department. It is the opinion of the interview team that Charles Abbott Associates, Inc. ( "CAA ") has the capabilities and flexibility desired by the City in providing the requested building inspection, building plan check, permit technician, and code compliance functions as outlined in the RFP. CAA personnel have multiple job performance capabilities that the other responding firms could not provide. Among those deemed most important are: o Permit Technician has ability to also perform minor project plan check services, reducing plan check times during periods of slow counter activity. May also be a certified Building Inspector to provide inspection services if necessary. o Building Inspector is also a certified Combination Building Inspector. o Code compliance officer is also a certified building inspector, allowing additional inspection capability if necessary. In addition, CAA will provide, at no additional cost, the hardware and software for a computerized permit issuance and tracking system which will be fully integrated with the City Public Works permit tracking system. In addition, all CAA personnel will be provided cell phones, vehicles, code books, reference materials, and any additional work - related items at no cost to the City. The provision of these items by CAA will result in additional substantial cost savings to the City beyond the salary savings realized by not rehiring full -time city personnel. The City will realize additional cost savings by reducing the number of City vehicles, computer workstations, cell phones and other office supplies. Contracting services will allow the City to expand or contract its inspection and plan check services based on future building permit requests. Retaining two, full -time city employees as building inspectors does not provide that flexibility. The Bixby Old Ranch development in almost complete, the Hellman Ranch residential development is anticipated to begin construction in spring 2002, the Rossmoor redevelopment is anticipated to begin in late summer -2002, with future development on the Boeing property anticipated in late -2002 or early 2003. Upon completion of these projects, the only major undeveloped property within the City is the DWP property. It is felt that when these major projects have been completed that the demand for 2 full -time building inspectors may not exist. Contracting for these services allows the City the future flexibility to adjust staff as the demand for services either increases or decreases. The Agreement has been reviewed by the City Attorney and approved as to form 2002 Contract Serviees.CC Stiff Report Approval ofituihding Inspection and Plan Check Contract Services Agreement City Council Staff Report January 28. 2002 FISCAL IMPACT: Costs of the contractual services are offset by the collection of Building Permit issuance fees and Building Plan Check fees. The contractor will retain 65% of the first $40,000 in monthly building permit and plan check fees, 50% of monthly amounts over $40,000 up to an annual aggregate of permit fees of $400,000, 40% of monthly amounts over $40,000 after permit fees exceed an annual aggregate of $400,000, and 35% of monthly amounts over $40,000 after permit fees exceed an annual aggregate of $700,000. City will retain all other fees. For examples of how the fee structure is utilized, refer to pages 29 and 31, which indicate how the fees would have been applied to the monthly revenues during fiscal years 1999 -2000 and 2000 -2001. RECOMMENDATION: Approve contract for Building Inspection and Plan Check services with Charles Abbott Associates, Inc. and authorize the City Manager to execute the contract. e Whittenberg Director of Development Services Attachments: (3) Attachment 1: Attachment 2: Attachment 3: 202 Cmtmd Servtea.CC Shn Report NOTED AND APPROVED: F anager y / , Agreement for Building Plan Check and Inspection Services, Charles Abbott Associates, Inc. Proposal to Provide Building and Safety Inspection and Plan Review Services, Charles Abbott Associates, Inc., dated December 3,2001 Comparison of Building Permit Fees - Contract v. City Services, 1998 -1999 to 2000 -2001