Title
Interlocal Agreement with the University of South Florida (B)
This item involves a request to authorize the City Manager to execute the Interlocal Agreement between the City of Gainesville and the University of South Florida Center for Urban Transportation Research for $34,394 to support RTS with technical assistance and expertise relative to a Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) service development grant.
Explanation
FDOT awarded a service development grant to RTS to develop marketing strategies and public transit service concepts. These strategies and concepts can help alleviate congestion by providing alternative travel options to the single occupant vehicle (SOV) driver. On March 13, 2006, the City Commission approved Resolution for a Joint Participation Agreement between the City and FDOT for Service Development Grant Marketing Funds for FY 2005-2006. The service development agreement initiation date is April 3, 2006, and must be completed on or before December 31, 2008.
The Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) at the University of South Florida was created to conduct research on issues relating to urban transportation problems in Florida. The proposed Interlocal Agreement will enable RTS to use CUTR to provide technical assistance and expertise relative to the FDOT service development grant. Further, the Interlocal Agreement will authorize the City Manager to approve work orders for individual projects to be carried out by CUTR for RTS.
Fiscal Note
The total cost of the proposed scope of work is $34,394. The research project funds are currently allocated in the RTS FY 2006 marketing budget. RTS can invoice 50% of the total CUTR research project costs against the FDOT FY 05/06 Service Development Funds Grant (F. P. No: 411177 4 84 01) and will receive the revenue from FDOT in FY06/07.
Recommendation
Recommended Motion: The City Commission: 1) authorize the City Manager to execute the Interlocal Agreement with University of South Florida to provide Public Transit Service Development Technical Assistance for RTS; and 2) authorize the City Manager to execute any and all related documents.
Alternative Recommendation A: The City Commission: 1) deny authorization of the City Manager to execute the Interlocal Agreement with University of South Florida to provide Public Transit Service Development Technical Assistance for RTS. Failure to execute the Interlocal Agreement will result in the loss of the opportunity to invoice 50% of the total CUTR research project costs (approximately $17,197) against and receive outstanding FDOT Service Development Grant Marketing Funds, and the loss of the benefit of a completed research project and technical report for the RTS Commuter Service Market and Development Plan.