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HomeMy WebLinkAboutExhibit 12F Public Interest Finding - Dune Palms Bridge Project 2011-05Local Assistance Procedures Manual EXHIBIT 12-F Cost-Effectiveness Determination/Public Interest Finding Exhibit 12-F Cost-Effectiveness/Public Interest Finding FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OF TRANSPORTATION COST-EFFECTIVENESS/PUBLIC INTEREST FINDING COST-EFFECTIVENESS DETERMINATION REQUIRED D Use of force account (23 CFR 635.204, 205)* D Use of publicly owned equipment (23 CFR 635.106) D Other*: * Requires Caltrans District approval ** Requires FHWA approval FEDERAL-AID PROJECT ID PROJECT SPECIFIC □ CLASS OF FEDERAL FUNDS: IM STEWARDSHIP: □DELEGATED □HIGH PROFILE DIST-CO-RTE-PM MULTIPLE PROJECTS GENERAL LOCATION PUBLIC INTEREST DETERMININATION REQUIRED D Use of non-competitive negotiated consultant contracts (23 CFR 172.7) (a) (3)* D Use of publicly furnished materials (23 CFR 635.407) D Use of contracting method other than competitive bidding (23 CFR 635.104/204)* D Use of mandatory borrow/disposal sites (23 CFR 635.407) D Advertising period less than 3 weeks (23 CFR 635.112)* D Waiver of Buy America Requirements (23 CFR 635.41 0)** D Other*: □ □ NH □STP □OTHER ESTIMATED COST FEDERAL FUNDS □REGIONAL/DISTRICTWIDE □STATEWIDE □ GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF WORK REASONS THAT REQUESTED APPROVAL IS CONSIDERED TO BE COST-EFFECTIVE OR IN THE PUBLIC'S BEST INTEREST (STATE): REMARKS (STATE): PREPARED/APPROVED BY LOCAL AGENCY'S REPRESENTATIVE NAME AND TITLE: Date: REPRESENTATIVE *APPROVED BY DISTRICT LOCAL ASSISTANCE ENGINEER DLAE NAME: Date: (DLAE) **APPROVED BY FHWA (Buy America Waiver only) FHWA REPRESENTATIVE NAME: Date: Distribution: (1) Local Agency File - Original; (2) DLAE - Copy; (3) Caltrans Project Manager -Copy if on the SHS Page 1 of 2 February 2020 Local Assistance Procedures Manual EXHIBIT 12-F Cost-Effectiveness Determination/Public Interest Finding Exhibit 12-F Cost-Effectiveness/Public Interest Finding Instructions 1. Check appropriate box under "Cost-Effective Determination Required" or "Public Interest Determination Required." 2. Check "Class of Funds" as follows: IM-lnterstate Maintenance, NH-National Highway, STP - State Transportation Program, Other (all other classes). 3. Provide the Federal-aid Project ID number in first column. 4. Identify Caltrans District-County-State Route-Post Mile, or City and street in second column. 5. List Estimated Cost of the portion of the project subject to this PIF. 6. List the amount of the Federal Funds in the portion of the project subject to this PIF. 7. Describe "General Location" applicable to this PIF. 8. Provide "General Description of Work" affected by this PIF. 9. Explain and give "Reasons that requested approval is considered to be cost-effective, or in the public's best interest." Provide cost analysis or comparison as evidence of cost-effectiveness. 10. "Remarks" is for the Local Agency Representative preparing the Finding. 11. Signature, Name, and Title of Local Agency Representative preparing or approving PIF, as appropriate, and Date. 12. Signature and Name of District Local Assistance Engineer approving the PIF, as required, and Date. 13. Signature and Name of FHWA representative approving the PIF for Buy America waivers, and Date. Page 2 of 2 February 2020 REASONS THAT REQUESTED APPROVAL IS CONSIDERED TO BE COST EFFECTIVE OR IN THE PUBLIC’S BEST INTEREST (STATE) In 2013, during the selection of Bengal Engineering to perform the professional engineering and environmental services the City of La Quinta complied with the requirements set forth by the Caltrans LAPM and conducted a competitive one-step RFP consultant selection process. The following represents the chronology of events associated with the Consultant Selection Process: The City Appointed a Consultant Selection Committee Consisting of Project Engineers and Managers. The Request for Proposal was issued on October 15, 2013 and the Pre-Proposal Conference was conducted on November 12, 2013 at 10:30 am. The City received four (4) proposals from the following qualified consultants on November 25, 2013: Bengal Engineering, Inc., CNS Engineers, Inc., IDC Consulting, Engineers, Inc., and RBF Consulting. The Consultant Selection Committee met on December 16, 2013 and determined that all four (4) of the engineering firms submitting proposals should be interviewed. Interviews were conducted on January 17, 2014. Following the interviews, the Consultant Selection Committee recommended Bengal Engineering, Inc. be awarded a Professional Services Agreement to prepare the plans, specifications, and estimates for the Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Replacement at the Coachella Valley Stormwater Channel. The Professional Services Agreement with Bengal Engineering was prepared in accordance with the requirements outlined within Chapter 10 of the Caltrans LAPM and was submitted for review and acceptance by Caltrans Audit and Investigation. This included Exhibits 10K and 10H which outlined key personnel. Caltrans Audit and Investigation issued the contract Conformance Letter Review on May 22, 2014 . All deficiencies noted by Caltrans Audit and Investigation Conformance Review were incorporated and submitted to City Council for award consideration. The City Council considered and approved a Professional Services Agreement with Bengal Engineering, Inc. on June 17, 2014 While addressing other scope related changes which were ultimately included within Amendment No. 8, and approved by Council on October 16, 2018, staff realized that Bengal’s contract term had expired and included an extended term as part of that Amendment. At this point, the project had experienced several environmental and right of way processing delays. The environmental document, special studies, and environmental permitting took nearly 4 years to complete. During the time frame leading up to the expired term, the City had just received notification from Caltrans Environmental that that the Project’s environmental document was finally approved. The City and its Consultants were working diligently to make up time and avoid losing the funding authorized for the preliminary engineering phase due to the approaching reversion date. The project development team was working through the requirements of the adopted environmental document, environmental permitting requirements, initiating the right of way acquisition phase and coordinating with utilities. The project could not proceed with any of these steps until the NEPA/CEQA environmental documents were adopted. It was not feasible to stop all work with Bengal and initiate a new competitive procurement process for the engineering services needed to complete the Project. Doing so would have been detrimental to the project, the general public, the City of La Quinta, the Coachella Valley Sub- Region, the State, and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Bengal Engineering is thoroughly aware of the issues surrounding the design and construction of the Dune Palms Bridge. They had been working in partnership with City for over 4 years on the project. They have coordinated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Riverside County Flood Control, Coachella Valley Water District, Caltrans District 8, and are well aware of the requirements for 1602 Streambed Alteration Agreement with the California Department of Fish and Game, the 401 Water Quality Certification from the Regional Water Quality Control Board and the 404 permit from the Army Corps of Engineers. The City finds the continuation of Bengal Engineering and Consulting, Inc. for the proposed project is in the best interest of the City of La Quinta, the State of California, and Federal Highway Administration.