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AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES MASTER CONTRACT WITH CSG CONSULTANTS, INC. FOR FIRE PREVENTION SERVICES, INCLUDING: PLAN REVIEWS; FIRE CODE/PERMIT INSPECTIONS; MANAGEMENT SERVICES AND CONSULTATION SERVICES
recommended action
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council approve a motion authorizing the City Manager to execute an Amendment to the Professional Services Master Contract with CSG Consultants, Inc. for fire prevention services, including: plan reviews; fire code/permit inspections; management services and consultation for a two (2) year period in the amount of $180,000 per fiscal year. It is further recommended that the City Manager be authorized to take appropriate actions to carry out the purpose and intent of this motion.
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Summary
Since January, 2011, the City of Stockton Fire Department Fire Prevention Division has contracted plan reviews, inspection and management services with A.R. Sanguinetti, and over the past one and one-half years with CSG Consultants for inspection services. These services were accessed through the Approved Professional Services Master Contracts (Vendor Pool List) previously approved by Council. The agreements with these firms will be expiring at the end of this fiscal year. The services provided by these vendors have supported the Fire Prevention Division during the economic downturn and are now supporting the Division as the reorganization of the Division continues into this next fiscal year.
In order to maintain the status quo of essential fire prevention services to the community a Request for Information (RFI), (Attachment A) in coordination with the City's Purchasing and Community Development Departments, was sent to three vendors on the current Vendor Pool List: 4-Leaf Consulting; A.R. Sanguinetti; and CSG Consulting. The RFI reflected current services provided by both A.R. Sanguinetti (until the contract amount was spent in March 2015) and CSG Consulting. Only one response to the RFI was received, and that was from CSG Consultants.
The action to approve the Amended Agreement with CSG (Attachment B) will allow the City to contract with CSG Consultants, Inc. on an as-needed basis, for fire prevention services. These services will include: plan reviews, fire code/permit inspections, and fire prevention management and consultation services through the end of 2016-17 fiscal year pending completion of an evaluation of SFD operations and final determination of full-time staff recruitment needs.
The cost for the contracted plan reviews and inspection services will be offset by the salary and benefit savings from existing vacancies. In addition, revenues from plan check and inspection fees also provide funding for SFD's operations. This action will have no impact to the General Fund.
DISCUSSION
Background
The Stockton Fire Department, Fire Prevention Division (SFD), as codified by the Adopted Fire Code, is responsible for providing fire protection systems plan checks and fire permit/code inspections.
The Fire Prevention Division has utilized the Professional Services Master Contract to acquire plans review, inspection and management services of A.R. Sanguinetti for over the past five years. In late 2013, the Fire Prevention Division acquired additional support through the Professional Services Master Contract for plans review and consulting services. In early 2015, as the A.R. Sanguinetti Purchase Agreement was spent to maximum value, the Fire Prevention Division sought the same services from CSG Consulting. CSG Consulting and the City agreed to a Contract Amendment for the balance of the current fiscal year for those services.
Given that contracts for both A.R. Sanguinetti and CSG Consulting expire at the end of this current fiscal year, the Fire Prevention Division, in consultation with City Purchasing, sent a Request for Information (RFI) to three current vendors on the Professional Services Master Contract: 4 Leaf Consulting; A.R. Sanguinetti; and CSG Consulting. The RFI included all of the current services provided by CSG to the City Fire Prevention Division and A.R. Sanguinetti, before the contract maximum expenditure had been reached.
The Fire Prevention Division has been under continual change since 2008 when budget reductions due to decreasing revenues derived from construction permits plummeted. The Inspection Services for Fire Permits have been the primary focus of the Fire Prevention Division. Since 2009, the Fire Prevention Division has relied upon contract services for plan reviews, inspection services, representation at development meetings and management services. These services had been offered by A.R. Sanguinetti until March of 2015 when contract expense limits were reached. The Fire Prevention Division began utilizing CSG Consulting Services in 2013 to augment the increasing demands for plan review and new or remodel construction inspection services. CSG Consulting has also provided the additional services of plan reviews, inspection and management services since April, 2015. The current CSG agreement expires June 30, 2015.
The Fire Prevention Division has the need for contract services: during this time of reorganizing the Division to conform to the required workloads, Code performance, personnel qualifications, and sustainable services through challenging economic times; during times of vacancies; and during times of temporary increased plans review services and inspection services. Accordingly, the Fire Prevention Division is requesting the continued assistance from an outside vendor to provide status quo fire prevention services, including: plan reviews; fire code/permit inspections; management services and consultation.
Currently, plans are reviewed by one part-time contract CSG employee working as- needed depending on the demand for services. Plans requiring more immediate attention are reviewed by a second part-time contract CSG employee. This employee also provides interim management services as needed to assist the Fire Prevention Division in program management in light of the 2014 voter-approved amendments to the City Charter provision removing the requirement that the Fire Marshall position can only be appointed from the ranks of sworn/uniform Chief Officers. As a result, the City is currently working to create the new job description and position for a Fire Marshal that can be either sworn or civilian. Current implementation plans call for recruiting and filling the Fire Marshal position with a fully qualified and credentialed person by the end of this summer.
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 10-0242 on July 13, 2010, approving Professional Services Master Contracts for design, geotechnical, testing, plan review, and survey services with firms, including CSG Consultants, Inc. The contracts in the master vendor pool are for a five-year period. The scope of services and fees are negotiated on a project specific basis. If the negotiated fee for a particular project exceeds Charter limits, a contract amendment is submitted to Council for consideration.
The City Attorney has opined that the use of the Professional Services Master Contract list is available for acquiring services beyond July 13, 2015 as long as those services have been and or are currently contracted.
Present Situation
A Request for Interest (RFI) was mailed to consultants in the current vendor pool of professional services master contracts on March 25, 2015: 4 Leaf, Inc., CSG Consultants, Inc., and A.R. Sanguinetti and Associates. CSG Consultants, Inc. was the only firm to submit a proposal to the Stockton Fire Department.
CSG Consultants, Inc. meets project specific experience and general qualifications as specified in the RFI. This consultant has provided plans review and management services for the SFD in the past and has proven to be a qualified service provider. SFD staff has reviewed CSG Consultants, Inc. fees and has determined the rates are reasonable for these services.
CSG Consultants, Inc. will provide services to Fire Prevention Division for a two (2) year period on an as-needed basis, for a cost not to exceed $180,000 per fiscal year. The contract can be terminated at any time by either party by providing a thirty (30) day notice of intent to terminate. SFD intends to obtain the services of the consultant until all vacant positions in Fire Prevention Division are filled and/or staff has determined that continuation of services is no longer warranted.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
The Fire Prevention Division includes payroll allocations for three (3) Fire Prevention Inspectors and one (1) Fire Protection Specialist in the proposed FY2015-16 Annual Budget. Only one full-time position is filled and the remaining three positions are currently vacant. There are sufficient funds in account 048-2631-530 from salary and benefit savings from these vacancies for the estimated amount of $180,000 per fiscal year to pay for this contract until positions are filled. The services will be paid at hourly rates depending on the service provided. The hourly rates range from $90 to $125 and have not increased from the current agreement. Additionally, revenues are collected by the division for conducting plan check and inspection services. This action has no impact to the General Fund.
Attachment A - Request for Information
Attachment B - Amendment to Professional Services Master Contract with CSG Consultants, Inc.