Title
Commercial Building Plan Review Consulting Services - 8560202000 (Ordinance S-48213)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to enter into separate agreements with: Brown & Associates Certified Inspection Service, Inc.; and SAFEbuilt Arizona, Inc., to provide Commercial Building Plan Review Consulting Services for private developer projects for the Planning and Development Department. Further request to authorize execution of amendments to the agreements as necessary within the Council-approved expenditure authority as provided below, and for the City Controller to disburse all funds related to this item. The fee for services for each agreement will not exceed $500,000.
Additionally, request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to take all action as may be necessary to execute all design and construction agreements, licenses, permits, and requests for utility services relating to the development, design and construction of the project. Such utility services include, but are not limited to: electrical, water, sewer, natural gas, telecommunications, cable television, railroads and other modes of transportation. Further request the City Council to grant an exception pursuant to Phoenix City Code 42-20 to authorize inclusion in the documents pertaining to this transaction of indemnification and assumption of liability provisions that otherwise should be prohibited by Phoenix City Code 42-18. This authorization excludes any transaction involving an interest in real property.
Report
Summary
The purpose of this contract is to decrease plan review turn-around times. Phoenix continues to see unprecedented levels of growth and development activity is the highest it has been in 10 years. Plan review submittals for commercial development projects have increased 32 percent from last year with a 100 percent increase in commercial projects over 50,000 square feet in area. Additionally, the current labor market has made it difficult to hire positions with critical technical skills like planners and engineers. Due to these circumstances, turn-around times for plan reviews for large commercial projects have slipped from 45 days to 61 days on average. Several other large commercial development projects are anticipated to be submitted for review in the upcoming months.
The Planning and Development Department has on-call plan review contracts with five firms and they are providing all the available resources they can at this time. Additional services have been requested from those firms for several months, but they cannot provide the additional resources needed.
Brown & Associates Certified Inspection Service, Inc.’s and SAFEbuilt Arizona, Inc.'s services include, but are not limited to: performing commercial building plan review services for private development projects for conformance with the Phoenix Building Construction Code, Phoenix Fire Code, and other City adopted codes and ordinances. Categories of plan review include architectural, structural, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, energy and fire. Oversight of the reviews will be done by Planning and Development Department staff to ensure accurate reviews.
Procurement Information
Brown & Associates Certified Inspection Service, Inc. and SAFEbuilt Arizona, Inc. were chosen for this project using a Direct Select process set forth in section 34-103 of the Arizona Revised Statutes. The Direct Select process will reduce the time to procure plan review services as opposed to an advertised selection process, will ensure reduction in turn-around time for reviews, and will provide continuity of services. The Planning and Development Department did widespread outreach to other known firms with this area of expertise, however, only two had available staff that could begin work immediately.
Contract Term
The terms of the agreements are one year from the issuance of the Notice to Proceed. Work scope identified and incorporated into the agreements prior to the end of the term may be agreed to by the parties, and work may extend past the termination of the agreements. No additional changes may be executed after the end of the terms.
Financial Impact
The individual agreement values for Brown & Associates Certified Inspection Service, Inc. and SAFEbuilt Arizona, Inc. will not exceed $500,000 each, including all subconsultant and reimbursable costs.
Funding is available in the Planning and Development Department's special revenue (Development fund) operating budget. The Budget and Research Department will separately review and approve funding availability prior to execution of any amendments. Payments may be made up to agreements limits for all rendered agreement services, which may extend past the agreements termination.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
The City Council approved Residential and Commercial Projects Building Plan Review On-Call Services Agreements 151709 - 151713 (Ordinance S-46401) on March 4, 2020.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Managers Ginger Spencer and Mario Paniagua, the Planning and Development Department, and the City Engineer.