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Bus Storage and Maintenance Facility_IIW Selection TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager SUBJECT: To Enter Contract Negotiations with Respondent to the Request for Qualifications for Site Selection Study and Environmental Analysis for a Bus Storage and Maintenance Facility DATE: October 3, 2012 Six responses were received to a Request for Qualifications for a Site Selection Study and Environmental Analysis for a Bus Storage and Maintenance Facility. Three firms were selected for interview presentations. Following the interviews, it is the recommendation of the RFQ Review Committee and Director of Transit Operations Barbara Morck that the City Council approve the selection of IIW for the Site Selection Study and Environmental Analysis for a Bus Storage and Maintenance Facility and approve City staff to enter into contract negotiations. I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council approval. /7AAh kt1&1 Michael C. Van Milligen MCVM:jh Attachment cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager Barbara Morck, Director of Transit Operations David Heiar, Economic Development Director Kelley Deutmeyer, Executive Director of ECIA Masterpiece on the Mississippi TO: Michael Van Milligen, City Manager FROM: Barbara Morck, Director of Transit Operations CC: David Heiar, Economic Development Director Kelley Deutmeyer, Executive Director of ECIA Dubuque All- America City '1111! 2007 SUBJECT: To Enter Contract Negotiations with Respondent to the Request for Qualifications for Site Selection Study and Environmental Analysis for a Bus Storage and Maintenance Facility DATE: September 30, 2012 INTRODUCTION The purpose of this memorandum is to request City Council approval of contract negotiation with the firm selected to perform the Site Selection Study and Environmental Analysis for a Bus Storage and Maintenance Facility (BSMF). BACKGROUND In July 2012, the City Council hired IIW Engineers partnered with Desman Associates to complete a site selection study and environmental analysis for an Intermodal Transportation Center (ITS). The vision for the ITC is that it will support transit connections, rail connections, vehicular parking, electric vehicle charging, bicycle parking, intercity bus, a passenger waiting area, taxicab stands, public restrooms (including lockers and shower /changing areas), and a ticketing office. The consultants initially considered 11 potential sites that were quickly narrowed down to two sites. The final two sites were in the Port of Dubuque and the Historic Millwork District. IIW met with the selection committee to review the merits of each site. After weighing the pros and cons of each site, the selection committee unanimously recommended the Historic Millwork District site for the ITC, and the City Council approved the recommendation at their March 5, 2012 meeting. DISCUSSION In October 2011, the City was notified that it had been awarded $8 million in State of Good Repairs funding through the Federal Transit Administration for the Intermodal project. Because the award amount was for about half of what had been requested in the grant application, the City prioritized the construction of the terminal building and the first phase of the parking facility. The City was also informed that the passenger rail aspect was not eligible for this FTA funding. Initially it had been envisioned that the ITC would be one building that would include a terminal building, a parking facility, a rail platform and a bus storage /maintenance facility. After public input it was decided that this project would be more beneficial if it was divided into several components, and the Bus Storage and Maintenance Facility (BSMF) was separated out from the original ITC project. In performing the site selection and environmental analysis process for the ITC, the consultants identified sites for various parts of the Intermodal campus within the Historic Millwork District including a bus storage and maintenance facility. The bus facility was proposed to be located on the parcel of land that had been acquired from Stewart Construction in December 2011. The FTA reviewed the site analysis. Although the FTA did approve of the site selected for the Intermodal Transportation Center, they did not approve of the selection of the Stewart site for a new bus storage and maintenance facility. The FTA recommended that the City perform an updated site selection and environmental analysis in order to identify potential sites for a new bus storage and maintenance facility that would meet their criteria. By doing so, should federal funding become available at some point in the future, the City of Dubuque would be prepared to submit an application that would include a site that had already cleared many of the FTA requirements. Based on this FTA recommendation, in May 2012 the City Council approved the release of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a Site Selection Study and Environmental Analysis for a Bus Storage and Maintenance Facility (BSMF), A committee to review the responses to the RFQ was formed, comprised of City staff (David Heir, Phillip Wagner, Laura Carstens, Teri Goodman and Todd Irwin) and ECIA staff (Barbara Morck and Chandra Ravada).A total of six (6) responses were received, and of those three (3) firms were selected for interview presentations. After the interviews were completed the committee met to review the three presentations, and came to a unanimous decision to recommend that the City negotiate a contract for the project with IIW. IIW was heavily involved in the original site selection study and environmental analysis for the Intermodal Center project. In this process IIW identified and met with various stake holders (e.g. business owners, general members of the public, City departments, etc.). IIW demonstrated a willingness and ability to be flexible enough meet the sometimes shifting project goals, and yet be able to submit a timely and cohesive report(s) to the FTA upon completion. As a firm based in Dubuque IIW has a great depth of familiarity with many of the areas that might be placed under consideration as potential sites for the Bus Storage and Maintenance Facility, including knowledge of some of the possible challenges some of the sites might have (e.g. an identified Brown Field, proximity to residential neighborhoods, historical sites, etc.). BUDGET IMPACT The Planning Department suggested that CIP # 240 -1015, Riverfront Plan Implementation Strategies — Downtown Urban Renewal Area, in the amount of $25,000. The remaining funds would be taken out of the Transit Fund. RECOMMENDATION /ACTION STEP I recommend that the City Council approve City staff to enter contract negotiations for the Site Selection Study and Environmental Analysis for a Bus Storage and Maintenance Facility, and authorize the City Manager to sign a contract on behalf of the City upon completion of said process.