CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
INTERDEPARTMENTAL MEMO
TO: Erik Walsh, City Manager
FROM: Rudy Niño, Jr., AICP, Assistant Director, Planning Department
COPY: Audit and Accountability Committee; Lori Houston, Assistant City Manager; Ben Gorzell Jr., CPA, Chief Financial Officer; Troy Elliott, CPA, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Finance; Kevin Barthold, City Auditor
SUBJECT: Post-Solicitation Briefing for SA Tomorrow Sub-Area Planning Services - Phases 3, 4, and 5
The Planning Department will present a post-solicitation briefing on Phase 3, 4 and 5 of SA Tomorrow Sub-Area Planning Services which was presented in the FY19 Annual High Profile Report. The solicitation process has been completed.
This post-solicitation briefing will cover estimated contract value, term of proposed contract award, project scope of services and considerations, scoring criteria, Small Business Economic Development Advocacy (SBEDA) Program requirements, local preference program applicability, veteran owned small business preference program applicability, project timeline, identification of evaluation committee members and outline due diligence.
City Council has directed the Planning Department to develop a series of Sub-Area Plans to further implementation of the SA Tomorrow Comprehensive Plan. The Planning Department has identified 30 Sub-Areas for this planning program, and has developed a work plan that initiates the plan development process for six plan areas each year for five years. The first six sub-area plans (Phase 1) were initiated in FY17 and are currently being completed and adopted. Phase 2 began in FY18 and the plans are expected to be adopted during Summer and Fall of 2020. The scope of services for Phases 3, 4, and 5 of the SA Tomorrow Sub-Area Plans is informed by and builds on Phases 1 and 2.
On July 2, 2019, the RFQ was released to select a qualified and experienced consultant to assist City staff in preparing Regional Center and Community Area Plans for the City of San Antonio. This solicitation covers the third, fourth, and fifth phases of sub-area plan development, including the final four Regional Centers as well as the final fourteen Community-scale plans.
The sub-area planning process includes significant community outreach efforts which will inform a Vision and a set of Goals that are specific to each plan area. Sub-Area Plans are organized around a “Plan Framework” that includes Land Use, Focus Areas, Mobility, Amenities and Infrastructure, Catalytic Projects, Housing, and Economic Development. The scope of services for Phases 3, 4, and 5 also includes the use of 3D graphics on top of drone photography to demonstrate potential types of development in context of the existing landscape. All Sub-Area Plans will have project websites that are maintained throughout the planning process and which will include Spanish translation of every adopted plan.
The initial contract will include plan development for Phase 3 (four Regional Center Plans and two Community Area Plans) and Phase 4 (six Community Area Plans), and will be funded with the FY19 and FY20 approved budgets. Funding for Phase 5, as well as funding for Spanish translation of adopted plans is expected to be approved in future fiscal year budgets. Should future budgets be approved, the Planning Department anticipates utilizing contract renewals and amendments to appropriate additional funds, expand the scope of services, and extend the term of the contract.
The RFQ was advertised in the San Antonio Express-News and on the City’s website on July 2, 2019 with responses due August 16, 2019. Two firms responded to the RFQ, one of which was deemed nonresponsive. A selection committee consisted of staff from the City Manager’s Office, Planning Department, Office of Sustainability, Neighborhood and Housing Services Department, Parks and Recreation Department, Office of Historic Preservation, Development Services Department, as well as a representative from VIA Metropolitan Transit.
The RFQ included the following published evaluation criteria: experience, background, and qualifications; proposed plan; SBEDA Program points; M/WBE Subcontracting Program local preference program; and the veteran owned small business preference program. However, because only one firm was deemed responsive, selection of the recommended vendor was determined by a consensus vote. Based on the selection committee’s unanimous decision, it was determined that interviews were not needed.
This item is tentatively scheduled for Council consideration on December 5, 2019.