DEPARTMENT: Transportation & Capital Improvements
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Mike Frisbie, P.E.
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S) IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Professional Services Agreements for Cultural Resources Consulting Services
SUMMARY:
An ordinance authorizing the execution of four (4) on-call professional services agreements with Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc., Pape-Dawson Engineers, Prewitt and Associates, Inc., and The University of Texas at San Antonio Center for Archeological Research, each in an amount not to exceed $325,000.00 per contract year, for as-needed services to supplement the City’s cultural resources consulting services related to federal transportation projects, capital improvement bond projects and other City projects, located citywide. Each agreement is for a term of one year with an option to renew each for two (2) additional one (1)-year extensions at an additional amount not to exceed $325,000.00 per contract year at City’s sole discretion.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Transportation & Capital Improvements Department (TCI), Environmental Management Division (EMD), is responsible for determining potential environmental impacts and obtaining clearances from the federal and state regulatory agencies for all Bond projects, federally funded projects and capital improvement projects prior to construction advertisement. As part of this environmental oversight, EMD is also responsible for assessing all archeological and above-ground historical resources referred to as “cultural resources” and determines the impact to those resources related to transportation and drainage improvement projects. The assessment of cultural resources can be a lengthy process which can include working with several agencies at the local, state, and federal levels. TCI is seeking the on-call services of four consultants to assist EMD with the research and preparation of cultural resources documents for transportation and drainage improvement projects in accordance with local, state and federal requirements.
In the past, TCI has managed cultural resources consultant services through the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) On-Call contract; however, most of the NEPA firms subconsult with specialty cultural resources firms. With this contract, TCI can go directly to the cultural resources consultant and avoid pass-through costs associated with the prime firms’ management. Additionally, the work proposed under the 2017 Bond includes many projects within culturally sensitive areas. In recent years, a large portion of the capacity of the NEPA contracts has been for cultural resources-related services. Maintaining both a NEPA on-call contract as well as this new cultural resources contract will allow TCI EMD to ensure the most suitable consultants are always available to provide both NEPA and cultural resources services, ensuring projects are not delayed.
A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Professional Cultural Resources Consulting Services was released on December 23, 2016. Nine (9) firms responded and submitted their Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) on January 31, 2017. A selection committee, made up of City staff from the TCI Department and the Office of Historic Preservation, evaluated and scored the SOQs based on the published evaluation criteria, which included experience, background and qualifications of the firms, their subconsultants and key personnel, the firms' project approach and management plan and teams’ experience with issues in the San Antonio region. The selection committee recommended contracts be awarded to the top four (4) qualified responders which are Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc., Pape-Dawson Engineers, Prewitt and Associates, Inc., and The University of Texas at San Antonio Center for Archeological Research.
This project uses federal Funding and is therefore subject to DBE.
ISSUE:
This ordinance authorizes the execution of four (4) on-call professional services agreements with Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc., Pape-Dawson Engineers, Prewitt and Associates, Inc., and The University of Texas at San Antonio Center for Archeological Research, each in an amount not to exceed $325,000.00 per contract year, for as-needed services to supplement the City’s cultural resources consulting resources related to federal transportation projects, capital improvement bond projects and other City projects, located citywide. Each agreement is for a term of one year with an option to renew each for two (2) additional one (1)-year extensions at an additional amount not to exceed $325,000.00 per contract year at City’s sole discretion.
Staff will utilize these on-call cultural resources consulting services on an as-needed basis to assist with the research and preparation of cultural resources documents for transportation and drainage improvement projects in accordance with local, state and federal requirements. The cultural resources consulting services to be provided by these firms will primarily pertain to Section 106 and Texas Antiquities Code services including, but not limited to, the following:
Cultural Resources (Archeology)
- Conduct Texas Archeological Resource Laboratory (TARL) and Texas Historic Sites Atlas Search/Background Reviews/Constraints Analysis and produce associated reports.
- Perform archeological surveys and produce associated technical reports as required based on project needs
- Perform additional testing, documentation and research of archeological resources and produce technical reports as required based on project needs
- Maintaining compliance with the Texas Antiquities Code (Title 9, Chapter 191, Texas Natural Resources Code) and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, as Amended (16 U.S.C. §470) as well as those listed above
- Conduct Archeological Mitigation as required by agencies or project scope in order to maintain compliance
- Conduct Geo-archeological Investigation
- Conduct other types of specialized surveys such as Remote Sensing i.e. Ground Penetrating Radar et al.
- Provide Photo Documentation as necessary
- Maintain Native American Grave Protection Repatriation Act Compliance (NAGPRA)
- Write historic contexts with the evolution of resource-types, cultural and ethnic features, and cultural landscape features provided to help evaluate historic resources
- Provide Archeological monitoring during construction, including backhoe trenching
- Use OHP database for survey documentation and provide this information, per OHP requirements and guidelines, to OHP and TCI
- Perform Curation of artifacts found
- Obtain necessary permits for the THC for investigation efforts, monitoring, etc.
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- Cultural Resources (Standing Structures)
- Perform non-archeological surveys and produce associated technical reports
- Perform additional above-ground documentation and research of cultural resources
- Maintain compliance with the Texas Antiquities Code (Title 9, Chapter 191, Texas Natural Resources Code) and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, as Amended (16 U.S.C. §470)
- Conduct Cultural Resources Mitigation as required by agencies or project scope in order to maintain compliance
- Conduct THC Search/Background Reviews/Constraints Analysis
- Conduct various levels of Above-Ground Historic Survey, as required based on project needs
- Provide photo documentation of buildings, structures, objects, or sites, as necessary
- Conduct Above Ground Historical Resources Surveys at the windshield, reconnaissance, or intensive levels, as necessary, in order to maintain compliance
- Write historic contexts with the evolution of resource-types, cultural and ethnic features, and cultural landscape features provided to help evaluate historic resources
- Provide Above Ground Resources monitoring during construction
- Use OHP database for survey documentation and provide this information, per OHP requirements and guidelines, to OHP and TCI, as requested.
- Conduct City of San Antonio background surveys for Bond Projects.
These documents must be approved by federal and state regulatory agencies prior to construction advertisement.
ALTERNATIVES:
As an alternative, the City could release a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for each project as needs are identified. However, this will result in delaying cultural resources clearances, affecting project delivery schedules and impeding the City’s ability to comply with local, state and federal cultural resources regulations.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Each of the agreements shall have a value not to exceed $325,000.00 annually. No funds are appropriated by this action. Funds for this contract shall be allocated from specific project funds at the time the work is required. Amounts will be transferred from available funding sources identified within the scope and source, as the projects are assigned by various City departments. The City will make no minimum guarantee pertaining to the volume of work that may be expected from each consultant.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this ordinance, authorizing four (4) professional services agreements for on-call professional cultural resources consulting services.