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Agenda Item # 23

BOARD MEMORANDUM

RECOMMENDATION:

Authorize the General Manager to amend the contracts with TBE Group, Inc. and Baystate Subsurface Investigation, Inc. (BSI, Inc.) to provide coordination of utility conflicts and relocations consulting services for additional VTA projects requiring these services, but within the original contract amount of $6,200,000 previously authorized by the Board.

BACKGROUND: 

On November 7, 2002, the Board authorized the General Manager to execute consulting contracts with TBE Group, Inc. and BSI, Inc. to provide services to coordinate the identification of utility conflicts and utility relocations for the Silicon Valley Rapid Transit (SVRT) Project.  In the November 7^th Board Memorandum, a three-phase process to identify and coordinate the relocation of utilities was presented and the estimate of the services to be provided during preliminary engineering through construction was identified at $6,200,000.

Contracts were executed in early 2003 with TBE Group, Inc. and BSI, Inc. to provide the utility coordination and relocation services for the SVRT Project.   The terms of the agreements were for three years with the option of being extended for up to two additional years.  Specific work is assigned to TBE Group, Inc. and BSI, Inc. by specific task orders with compensation provided on a time and materials basis.  To date, a total of $2,607,962 in task orders have been authorized.

DISCUSSION: 

Since the November 2002 VTA Board of Directors action, VTA staff has identified additional projects that may require utility conflict identification and relocations to eliminate conflicts. Some potential projects that need utility support services are:

• Downtown East Valley Transit Improvements - Capitol Expressway Light Rail and Santa Clara/Alum Rock Projects.
• Vasona Light Rail Project.
• Route 152 Widening Project.
• Route 152/156 Interchange Project.
• I 880/Coleman Interchange Project.
• South County Caltrain projects.
• Facility rehabilitation/protection projects.

The recommended action will provide VTA staff the ability to utilize needed consultant services on other VTA projects facilitating timely coordination of utility conflicts, relocations and utility construction, thereby minimizing or avoiding costly contract delays and untimely utility service installations.   Task orders for the required consultant service will be issued as project funding is budgeted by the VTA Board of Directors for individual projects.

Current budget for the SVRT Project includes funding through the completion of preliminary engineering in 2006, minimizing the potential need for any Construction Coordination of Relocations originally identified.   The recommended action provides the ability for VTA staff to use the $6,200,000 of contract authority for budgeted capital project needs for all phases of utility coordination and relocation for all projects.  

ALTERNATIVES:

There are no cost effective alternatives to the recommended action.   VTA does not have the specialized equipment or staff to perform these types of services.

FISCAL IMPACT: 

Funds for task orders issued under these contracts are provided from the Board approved budgets for each capital project.

DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (DBE)/SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (SBE) PARTICIPATION:

Goals for contract participation of DBE/SBE subcontractors will be set on each individual Task Order based upon subcontracting opportunities for that specific Task Order and the availability of DBE/SBE subcontractors for the specialties identified.   To date, the TBE Group, Inc. is achieving 12% DBE and BSI, Inc. is achieving 24% DBE participation.

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