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.
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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.