Title
Enter into Agreements in Support of the Bus Rapid Transit Program (Ordinance S-45019)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, approval to enter into agreements with HDR Engineering, Inc. for transportation planning services in support of the BRT Program and with the CK Group, AECOM Technical Services, Inc., and the CA Group Arizona, Inc. to support the planning effort by providing a limited number of corridor alternative concepts for planning evaluation by HDR and the community engagement process. Following Council approval of the BRT Plan, anticipated in late 2019, staff will seek individual corridor approval from Council to initiate preliminary engineering. Further request authorization for the City Controller to disburse all funds related to this item. The fee for services will not exceed $3,450,000.
Additionally, request authorization for the City Manager, or his designee, to take all action as deemed necessary to execute all utilities-related design and construction agreements, licenses, permits, and requires for utility services relating to the development, design, and construction of the project and to include disbursement of funds. Utility services included, but are not limited to: electrical, water, sewer, natural gas, telecommunications, cable television, railroads, and other modes of transportation. This authorization excludes any transaction involving an interest in real property.
Report
Summary
On Aug. 25, 2015, City of Phoenix voters approved passage of Proposition 104, providing a 0.3 percent increase and extension of the transaction privilege and use tax rate to fund Transportation 2050 (T2050). The T2050 plan includes implementing five arterial BRT corridors. BRT is a high capacity transit service using specialized buses with multiple doors for fast entry and exit, off-board fare payment, and level platform boarding making it easier for people of all abilities to efficiently access the system. It includes priority treatment at signalized intersections to increase speed and reliability. It also may include bus lanes in some areas to facilitate faster trips.
The objective is to provide fast, frequent and reliable service on arterial streets. Both speed and reliability help reduce operating costs, help people travel faster and more conveniently, and help cities make transit an attractive transportation option, which means more travel options, less cars on the roadway and less congestion. BRT was included in the plan to address the growing population and transportation needs, as the city is projected to add an additional 600,000 people by 2035.
Procurement Information
On Oct. 4, 2017, based on recommendations from the Citizen's Transportation Commission (CTC) and Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Subcommittee, the City Council granted approval to issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to solicit firms to provide services for planning and preliminary engineering for the BRT program. This approval included a stipulation that the planning RFQ included an assessment of the criteria used for the initial identification of the BRT corridors.
On Oct. 24, 2017 the Streets Transportation Department procurement staff released the RFQ which included two packages for consultants to submit Statement of Qualifications. Package A included planning, capital system development, community education and engagement. One consultant team would be selected for Package A. Package B is for design services. Three teams would be selected for Package B, with each team working on a corridor.
On Nov. 17, 2017 consultant proposals were due to the City. Two consultant teams submitted for Package A and six consultant teams submitted for Package B. After a qualifications based review and interview process that included staff from the Public Transit Department, the Street Transportation Department, the City Manager's Office, Valley Metro, and an independent outside consultant, HDR Engineering, Inc. was selected for Package A. The following three consultant teams were selected for assignment of a Package B corridor, the CK Group, Inc., AECOM Technical Services, Inc. and CA Group Arizona, Inc.
Package A Selection Results
HDR Engineering, Inc.: Ranked 1
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.: Ranked 2
Package B Selection Results
CK Group, Inc.: Ranked 1
AECOM Technical Services, Inc.: Ranked 2
CA Group Arizona, Inc.: Ranked 3
In total, 33 prime and subconsultant firms are included on the four selected teams. Twenty-nine of the firms have a local office and Arizona presence. Four of the firms are located outside of Arizona but provide strong national BRT expertise in support of local staff.
Scope of Work
Package A - The scope of work for transportation planning in Package A includes:
- Community education and engagement.
- Project management.
- BRT planning and workshops.
- Capital system development.
- Development of a funding, finance, and delivery strategy.
- Corridor programming and coordination with the Package B teams.
Package B - The overall BRT program has identified a need for Package B services to contribute towards the development of the BRT Plan. This includes development of corridor alternative concepts for the Package A team and community to evaluate and review. Corridor alternative concepts are street cross-sections showing how BRT could operate in a corridor and coordinated improvements related to the option.
Because Council has required re-evaluation of the corridors initially selected in T2050, the Package B teams will provide additional staffing that will be required as we reconsider all potential corridors in the City. The Package B teams will also participate in the network planning workshop providing engineering and national BRT experience insight into the planning effort.
This limited amount of Package B work is not preliminary engineering. After Council has reviewed, vetted and approved corridors for BRT implementation, staff will develop specific preliminary engineering scopes of work and seek Council contract approval in order to initiate preliminary engineering. This is anticipated to occur in 2020, unless grant opportunities or other factors make it advantageous to accelerate the schedule.
Contract Term
Package A is a three-year contract term, with one three-year extension option with HDR Engineering, Inc. The primary deliverable is a BRT Plan, which will be developed for CTC, Aviation & Transportation Subcommittee and City Council consideration. This work will also identify up to three initial BRT corridors to advance into preliminary engineering. The contract amount for Package A shall not exceed $3 million.
Package B efforts at this time will be a three-year contract term with CK Group, Inc., AECOM Technical Services, Inc. and CA Group Arizona, Inc. The contract amount for each firm shall not exceed $150,000, with a total for the three contracts not to exceed $450,000.
Following approval of the BRT Implementation Plan by City Council, anticipated in late 2019, staff will negotiate a scope, schedule, and cost with the Package B teams for a specific BRT corridor to complete the preliminary engineering to the 15 percent design level. Action on the final preliminary engineering scope, schedule and costs will be brought before the CTC, Aviation & Transportation Subcommittee, and City Council for consideration.
Financial Impact
For Package A, the total amount not to be exceeded is $3 million with approximately $1.5 million in year one and approximately $750,000 in years two and three. The source of the funds for this program is the Transportation 2050 (T2050) fund.
For Package B the total amount not to be exceeded is $450,000 divided between three consultant teams. The Package B is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2019. The source of the funds for this program is the Transportation 2050 (T2050) fund.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
- On Oct. 4, 2017, City Council granted approval to issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to solicit firms to provide services for planning and preliminary engineering for the BRT program based on recommendations from the CTC and T&I Subcommittees. This approval included a stipulation that the planning RFQ included an assessment of the criteria used for the initial identification of the BRT corridors.
- On May 31, 2018, the CTC recommended approval of the award recommendation to the T&I Subcommittee by a vote of 13-0.
- On April 18, 2018 and informational report on BRT was provided to the T&I Subcommittee.
- On June 19, 2018, the T&I Subcommittee recommended to continue this item by a vote of 4-0.
- On Sept. 25, 2018, the Aviation and Transportation Subcommittee recommended approval of this item by a vote of 3-0.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Mario Paniagua, the Public Transit Department, and the City Engineer.