Title
SW 8th Ave Improvements Design Contract (B)
Explanation
SW 8th Ave serves as a heavily utilized pedestrian and vehicular corridor to the University of Florida. However, the corridor lacks complete sidewalks, safe crosswalks, and is currently not in compliance with ADA requirements. These safety issues, as well as general roadway geometry, parking, storm water conveyance and collection, were recognized as priority issues for the PWD to address. Thus the corridor was listed as a PWD capital improvement project. Engineering design work began within the PWD and approximately 30% plans were produced in 1999. However, due to the re-prioritization of capital improvement projects and limited funding availability, the project was put on hold indefinitely.
The importance of this roadway as a corridor to campus gave reason for the CRA to adopt the project in the agency's capital improvement project list. The College Park / University Heights Redevelopment Advisory Board has allocated funding to the project through annual budgetary processes for FY 2006, 2007, and 2008. In recent strategic planning sessions with the CPUH Advisory Board, SW 8th Ave was listed in the 3-year redevelopment plan as a project to initiate in FY 2009.
In March 2008 the PWD solicited statements of qualifications from professional engineering firms to provide services for capital improvement projects (RFQ No. PWDA080041-DH). Included in the list of projects that consultants responded to were CRA projects, such as SW 8th Ave. The CRA Engineer, working with the PWD, served as a selection committee member, and assisted in the identification of qualified engineering firms to produce a short-list of consultants. In June 2008, the City Commission approved the PWD short-listed consultants and authorized the City Manager (or designee) to initiate contract negotiations and execution of contracts and associated documents for professional services in accordance with the Consultants Competitive Negotiation Act (CCNA).
The CRA is in the process of initiating engineering design work for improvements along SW 8th Ave (900-1300 BLK). A scope of work and price proposal has been solicited from engineering consultants Dyer, Riddle, Mills, and Precourt, Inc. (DRMP) to provide professional surveying and engineering services to produce 30% design plans for this section of roadway. This scope of work is included as back-up. DRMP is among the short-list of pre-qualified professional engineering firms that responded to the March 2008 PWD RFQ for capital improvement projects.
It is envisioned that the PWD will contract with DRMP for the proposed professional services, while the CRA will administer and fund the project in intense coordination with the PWD. The CRA will approve invoices from DRMP and then forward the approved invoices to PWD for payment.
Fiscal Note
$338,647 is available in the SW 8th Ave Streetscape Improvements account 618-W754-W19. The DRMP price proposal to complete 30% design plans is not to exceed $51,750.00.
Recommendation
CRA Executive Director to the CRA: 1) Approve of the expenditure of $51,750 to complete 30% design plans for the SW 8th Ave Improvements Project.