Title
A. RESOLUTION NO. 2016-228 OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA APPROVING THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN ESGIL CORPORATION AND THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA TO PROVIDE BUILDING PERMIT PROCESSING, PLAN REVIEW AND INSPECTION SERVICES, ON AN AS-NEEDED BASIS, AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE SAID AGREEMENT
B. RESOLUTION NO. 2016-229 OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA APPROVING THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN BUREAU VERITAS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION AND THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA TO PROVIDE BUILDING PERMIT PROCESSING, PLAN REVIEW AND INSPECTION SERVICES, ON AN AS-NEEDED BASIS, AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE SAID AGREEMENT
C. RESOLUTION NO. 2016-230 OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA APPROVING THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CSG CONSULTANTS CORPORATION AND THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA TO PROVIDE BUILDING PERMIT PROCESSING, PLAN REVIEW AND INSPECTION SERVICES, ON AN AS-NEEDED BASIS, AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE SAID AGREEMENT
Body
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Recommended Action
Council adopt the resolutions.
Body
SUMMARY
The Development Services Department (DSD) uses contractual services to assist staff with permit processing, plan reviews and inspections during periods of high construction activity and spikes in workload. Currently, the City has agreements with three consultants that will expire on January 31, 2017. In order to establish new agreements, staff prepared a Request for Proposal (RFP) for permit processing, plan check and inspection services. Five consultants submitted proposals which were evaluated by a Selection Committee. After a thorough evaluation, the Committee recommended that the City contract with three consultants; EsGil Corporation, Bureau Veritas North America Corporation and CSG Consultants Corporation to provide the services on an as-needed basis.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Environmental Notice
Environmental Notice
The activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to State Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3) no environmental review is required.
Body
Environmental Determination
The Director of Development Services has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines because it will not result in a physical change in the environment; therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines, the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is required.
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
Not Applicable.
DISCUSSION
The City has been using the building plan review and inspection services of consultants since 1987. Having consultants available on an as-needed basis has helped the City manage the increase in workload during periods of high building permit activity and maintain established customer service standards. In addition, having consultants on standby allows the City to minimize the impact on customer service caused by staff taking vacation or extended leave. Consultants offer flexibility and the ability to respond quickly with no impact to the City, especially given fluctuating demands for such services. Furthermore, consultants can be used when staff requires specialized expertise that is unavailable in-house, when outside assistance is needed to expedite projects, or when a third party is needed to perform a review.
On February 1, 2011, the City contracted with three consultants; EsGil Corporation, Bureau Veritas North America Corporation and JAS Pacific Consulting Corporation. These contracts will expire on January 1, 2017, and staff is proposing to establish new contracts.
Staff prepared a RFP for permit processing, plan check and inspection services. A Selection Committee (Committee) reviewed the responses to the RFP. The Committee evaluated five responses using a pre-established list of evaluation criteria based on professional qualifications of consultant’s employees, consultant’s experience in performing the services, consultant’s procedures and their impact on City procedures, quality control programs, familiarity with local and regional code interpretations, and cost of services. After taking everything into consideration, the Committee recommended that the City contract with three consultants; EsGil Corporation, Bureau Veritas North America Corporation and CSG Consultants Corporation.
Having access to three consultants gives the City access to a larger pool of resources and insures that more than one provider is in place in case the workload of a provider exceeds the limits of the provider’s resources. The contracts are structured so that the City has the option of either sending work to the consultant to perform the service in the consultant’s office or have consultant staff positioned in the City. Having three consultants compete for the placement of consultant staff in the City increases the possibility that the City is being presented with the best and most qualified resources. The City gets to review resumes and interview consultant staff and select those that would be positioned in the City. Furthermore, having consultants positioned in the City allows our supervisors to maintain control of work assignments, to assure consistency and quality of service and to assure same-day data entry into our permit tracking system.
The proposed contracts have been reviewed by the City Attorney and approved as to form. The contracts are structured to allow the City, at its sole discretion, to terminate a contract any time after having given the consultant 30 days notice. The decision to use the services of any of the consultants rests solely with the City and will be made on a case-by-case basis by the Development Services Director or his/her designee.
DECISION-MAKER CONFLICT
Staff has reviewed the decision contemplated by this action and has determined that it is not site-specific and consequently, the 500-foot rule found in California Code of Regulations Title 2, section 18702.2(a)(11), is not applicable to this decision for purposes of determining a disqualifying real property-related financial conflict of interest under the Political Reform Act (Cal. Gov't Code § 87100, et seq.).
Staff is not independently aware, and has not been informed by any City Council member, of any other fact that may constitute a basis for a decision maker conflict of interest in this matter.
LINK TO STRATEGIC GOALS
The City’s Strategic Plan has five major goals: Operational Excellence, Economic Vitality, Healthy Community, Strong and Secure Neighborhoods and a Connected Community. The proposed agreements support the Operational Excellence goal as they seeks to assist the City manage the increase in workload during periods of high building permit activity and maintain established customer service standards; providing quality customer service.
CURRENT YEAR FISCAL IMPACT
All costs of permit processing, plan check and inspection services, whether performed by the City or the City’s consultant, are borne by the applicant in the form of plan check and permit fees. The plan check and permit fees provide sufficient revenue to cover both the cost of the services provided by the consultant and the Department’s administrative overhead costs. The cost to the applicant is the same, whether City staff or consultants provide the service. Purchase orders for these services will be initiated on an as-needed basis, and in accordance to the City’s Purchasing Policy.
ONGOING FISCAL IMPACT
No ongoing fiscal impact. The plan check and permit fees provide sufficient revenue to cover both the cost of the services provided by the consultant and the Department’s administrative overhead costs.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Agreement between City of Chula Vista and EsGil Corporation for Permit Processing, Building Plan Check and Building Inspection Services.
2. Agreement between City of Chula Vista and Bureau Veritas North America Corporation for Permit Processing, Building Plan Check and Building Inspection Services.
3. Agreement between City of Chula Vista and CSG Consultants Corporation for Permit Processing, Building Plan Check and Building Inspection Services.
Staff Contact: Lou El-Khazen, Building Official/Code Enforcement Manager, Development Services Department.