CITY OF TALLAHASSEE
CITY COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED ON: January 28, 2009
SUBJECT/TITLE: Discussion of Request for Proposal for Architectural and Engineering Design Services for the Public Safety Complex
TARGET ISSUE: N/A

STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
In April 2006, the City, County and Sheriff Campbell agreed to the creation of a joint dispatch operation for public safety agencies, which included the Leon County Sheriff, Leon County Emergency Medical Services, Tallahassee Police Department, and the Tallahassee Fire Department. On December 13, 2006, the Leon County and City of Tallahassee Memorandum of Agreement formalizing the creation of the Public Safety Communication Board (PSCB) to move forward with the consolidation of dispatch systems was executed.

On June 26, 2008, the Public Safety Communication Board recommended that the Design Architect and the Construction Manager At-Risk be hired at the earliest possible date, and that the City and County Commissions approve an issuance of a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Architectural and Engineering Design services and Construction Manager At-Risk services.

This agenda seeks City Commission approval to issue a RFP using Leon County’s Purchasing Division and procedures to acquire architectural and engineering design services for the Public Safety Complex.

RECOMMENDED ACTION
Option 1 – Approve the issuance of a joint County/City Request for Proposal to acquire architectural and engineering design services for the Public Safety Complex using Leon County’s Purchasing Division and procedures.

FISCAL IMPACT:
This commission action has no current city fiscal impact. However, upon selection of the architectural and engineering design services provider a tri-party agreement with the City of Tallahassee, Leon County and selected service provider will be negotiated and brought back to the commission under separate agenda item. It is at that time that funding will be required.

Gabriel P. Menendez, Director, Public Works Department

Anita Favors Thompson, City Manager

For further Information, please contact: Gabriel P. Menendez, Director, Public Works Department (850) 891-8197.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL/ISSUE ANALYSIS
HISTORY/FACTS & ISSUES
In April 2006, the City, County and Sheriff Campbell agreed to the creation of a joint dispatch operation for public safety agencies, which included the Leon County Sheriff, Leon County Emergency Medical Services, Tallahassee Police Department, and the Tallahassee Fire Department.

The City of Tallahassee Commission, along with the Leon County Board of County Commissioners and the Leon County Sheriff authorized the creation of the Public Safety Communication Board (PSCB) as the oversight body for public safety communications. The PSCB replaces the Management Oversight Committee, established by the July 23, 1999 agreement regarding the 800 MHz system. On December 13, 2006, the Memorandum of Agreement formalizing the creation of the PSCB to move forward with the consolidation of dispatch systems was executed. It is the goal of the PSCB to improve services to the public by more efficient handling of both emergency and non-emergency calls and more effective deployment of resources.

On May 9, 2008, the PSCB recommended issuance of a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Program Management services related to the management of the design and construction activities of the joint dispatch facility and recommended the consolidation of the Leon County Emergency Medical Services and the Tallahassee Fire Department Administrative offices within this facility.

The City Commission on May 28, 2008, and the Board of County Commissioners on June 10, 2008, approved the issuance of a RFP for Program Management services related to the management of the design and construction activities of the combined facility. This selection process is complete and contract negotiations are underway.

On June 18, 2008, the City Commission approved a Joint Project Agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation to site, construct and manage a Regional Transportation Management Center and its associated telecommunication infrastructure, Freeway Management System, Intelligent Transportation System infrastructure and License Plate Reader project.

On June 26, 2008, the PSCB recommended that the Design Architect and the Construction Manager At-Risk be hired at the earliest possible date, and that the City and County Commissions approve an issuance of a RFP for Architectural and Engineering Design services and Construction Manager At-Risk services.

The Board of County Commissioners on December 9, 2008, and the City Commission on December 10, 2008 approved the Memorandum of Agreement for the City of Tallahassee and Leon County to share equally in all costs associated with the design and construction of the

Public Safety Facility, consisting of the Tallahassee-Leon County Public Safety Communication Center, City Regional Transportation Management Center, City Fire Administration Headquarters, County Emergency Management Services Headquarters, and the County Emergency Operations Center, now being referred to collectively as the Public Safety Complex. The Board of County Commissioners on December 9, 2008, and the City Commission on December 10, 2008 approved the selection of URS Corporation as the Program Manager for the Public Safety Complex.

The Program Management firm will serve as the prime point of interface, representing the interest of all the prime stakeholders and will further provide management oversight, expertise, and coordination to the development of the entire project from initiation through occupancy. The Program Manager is one of three key consultants in the overall development of the Public Safety Complex. The Program Manager will coordinate with both the Architect responsible for the design of the Complex, and the Construction Manager At-Risk, responsible for the Complex’s construction. These three consultants will work closely throughout the project development process to balance the functional requirements of the stakeholders with the project design, the overall project schedule and the overall project cost. It is important and in the best interest of the City and County that these three key consultants be under contract and beginning coordination as early as possible in the project development process.

This agenda requests Commission approval for the issuance of a RFP for the Architectural and Engineering Design Services. Approval to issue a RFP for Construction Manager At-Risk services is being prepared for Commission approval in the near future.

On January 15, 2009 at the Leon County Board meeting authorized the issuance of this same RFP for Architectural Engineering Design Services conditioned upon “The City’s joint approval.” Due to a mix-up at the County, the RFP has been advertised through the County’s Procurement Office as of Monday, January 19, 2009. Approval of this item would also indicate concurrence with County advertising the RFP.

Subsequent to the Commission’s approval of this item and upon selection of the architectural and engineering services provider staff will prepare an agenda item for Commission consideration, which will approve the selection and request funds to support the tri-party agreement between the City of Tallahassee, Leon County and the selected firm.

CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS
N/A

OPTIONS

1. Approve the issuance of a joint County/City Request for Proposal to acquire architectural and engineering design services for the Public Safety Complex, using Leon County’s Purchasing Division and procedures.

Pros:
1. Issuance of this RFP is required to advance the development of the Joint Safety Complex.
2. There is no current fiscal impact to approving this item until the selection is ratified by the commission at a later date.
3. Continues and advances the programming of the improvements on that site.
4. Advances the process of hiring the architect for the facility.
5. Advances the efforts to accommodate the Regional Traffic Management Center, thus enabling the City to be reimbursed associated costs by the Department of Transportation

Cons:
1. Funds for this project could be used for other projects in the future.

2. Do not approve the issuance of the Request for Proposal.

Pros:
1. There would be no fiscal impact to the City.

Cons:
1. Jeopardizes using the selected site for a centralized joint dispatch.
2. County can move forward with relocating Sheriff, EMS, and other facilities on the site thus squelching the joint dispatch use of the site.
3. May require finding an alternative site for the Regional Traffic Management Center.

3. Provide alternative direction to staff.

ATTACHMENTS
Draft RFP for Architectural and Engineering Design Services