REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) FOR CONTRACT PLANNING SERVICES

RFQ. NO. 57574

RFQ Issue Date: September 10, 2018

Submittal Due Date: 4:00 P.M., Monday October 1, 2018

Purchasing Office
San Leandro City Hall
835 E. 14th Street
San Leandro, CA 94577

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The City of San Leandro's Community Development Department is seeking qualifications from experienced planning consulting firms to enter into an Agreement for Consulting Services. Services will include providing temporary staffing services for the following tasks:

1. Provide general planning-related development review and project management services for the City on a case-by-case basis.
2. Provide support for the Planning Division at the City's Permit Center and hold regular office hours at assigned times and dates.
3. Assist with performing plan check services to ensure permit compliance with the Zoning Code, prior entitlements, conditions of approval, and CEQA mitigation measures, as needed.
4. Coordinate with applicants and schedule meetings, as needed.
5. Organize and maintain planning files at City Hall.
6. Review and analyze assigned development applications submitted to the City, including Planned Developments, Site Plan Review, Parking Exceptions, Tentative Tract Maps, and Conditional Use Permits.
7. Prepare public hearing notices for assigned projects, as needed.
8. Prepare agenda-ready staff reports, findings of fact, and conditions of approval with associated resolutions or ordinances.
9. Present assigned current planning projects at public hearings before the City's Zoning Enforcement Official, Board of Zoning Adjustments, Planning Commission, and City Council as needed.

The City is looking for professional planning consulting firms with extensive experience providing contract staffing services for similar planning departments in Northern California. The City will select a qualified firm who will be called upon to provide relevant staffing services on an as-needed basis. An on-call contract planner may be needed at either the Assistant/Planner I, Associate/Planner II and/or Senior Planner/Planner III level, depending on the assignment. The selected firm will provide intermittent on-call planning staff augmentation services for a three-year contract period.

DEPARTMENT REQUESTING: Community Development Department, Planning Division

MAIL OR DELIVER RESPONSES TO:

Julie Jenkins, Purchasing Agent
Finance Department
835 E. 14^th Street
San Leandro, CA 94577
(510) 577-3472
Email: juliejenkins@sanleandro.org

For information concerning RFQ questions, procedures and regulations, interested parties must contact the City's Purchasing Agent. All questions shall be submitted via email.

I. INTRODUCTION

The City of San Leandro is requesting proposals from experienced planning consulting firms who can assist with providing temporary staffing services in the Planning Division. The services requested will primarily function to augment the role of City planning staff on project management, public assistance and plan check responsibilities during periods of staff vacancies or heavy work volume.

II. BACKGROUND

Incorporated in 1872, the City of San Leandro is located on the eastern shore of the San Francisco Bay, with the City of Oakland bordering it to the north and the City of Hayward and unincorporated communities of San Lorenzo and Ashland to the south. At 15.6 square miles in size, San Leandro is centrally located in the East Bay and conveniently accessible to three freeways (Interstates 880, 580, and 238), Oakland International Airport, three freight rail lines, and an extensive network of local and regional bus routes. San Leandro is served by two BART Stations within the City limits, Downtown San Leandro and Bayfair. AC Transit has nearly completed the East Bay's first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line to provide additional connections between San Leandro and downtown Oakland. The City's 2018 population of 87,598, as reported by the California Department of Finance, represents the sixth largest city in Alameda County. San Leandro is also among the most diverse cities in America.

San Leandro has historically been characterized as having stable and attractive residential neighborhoods, many of which are near major or neighborhood-serving commercial areas. There is a core downtown area and prominent commercial corridors including East 14th Street from the northernmost most City limits to the southernmost City boundary near Bayfair Center, which is a major regional retail shopping center. The City's commercial base also includes neighborhood-serving small businesses, office developments, “big box” retailers and the Marina Boulevard Auto Mall. The City has a rich industrial history with one quarter of the City's land area zoned industrial. The City is home to numerous corporate headquarters and manufacturers and has a track record of attracting advanced technology and value-added businesses. The City is also currently in the process of redeveloping approximately 75 of its 950 acres of publicly owned shoreline through the recently adopted Shoreline Specific Plan.

III. SCOPE OF SERVICES

The Planning Division of the Community Development Department requires the services of qualified planners and planning firms to assist with processing and managing planning applications and providing customer support depending on the City's staffing needs. Under the direction of the Planning Manager, the consultant will provide the range of expertise necessary to carry out the normal functions of a professional planner. All services provided by the consultant shall be performed by specified individuals who meet the qualifications and requirements for the City's equivalent planning positions. The City's primary needs are in the Planner I (Project Specialist I), Planner II (Project Specialist II) and Senior Planner (Senior Project Specialist) categories during temporary staff leave of absences or position vacancies. Based on the qualifications presented in the response to this RFQ, the City will select the firm that is best able to provide the planning services needed.

The services to be provided will require familiarity with local policies and regulations such as the recently adopted 2035 San Leandro General Plan, Bay Fair Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Plan, Zoning Code and Municipal Code as well as the California Government Code and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). It is expected that the majority of services will involve the processing and review of current planning projects on an as-needed basis, including the preparation of staff reports, conditions of approval, and draft resolutions. It is also assumed that staffing support will require attendance during regular office hours at assigned times and dates, including providing general public assistance during certain assigned periods at the City's Permit Center. Attendance at occasional public hearings held on Monday or Thursday evenings may be required.

The selected consultant will not be required to provide services to the City on Fridays or designated holidays. The City currently has an established contract with outside firms for assistance with the preparation of environmental review documents required under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Services will not require assistance with CEQA beyond an initial study determination for assigned projects which are found to be exempt from CEQA.

Statutory limitations placed on retired CalPERS annuitants preclude them from serving as contract employees for agencies that participate in CalPERS. As a result, retired CalPERS annuitants may be ineligible to provide services to the City of San Leandro under this RFQ.

City Hall is closed for an extended period during the holidays. This year's holiday closure period will begin on Friday December 21, 2018, reopening on Wednesday January 2, 2019. Staffing services from the selected consultant will not be needed during the closure period.

All deliverables and work produced by the selected consultant(s), whether in hard copy or electronic form, will become public record and the property of City.

Qualified consultants shall possess the following:

• Two or more years of professional planning work experience in the public or private sector.
• Experience with project management in current and/or long range planning, including preparation of application completeness letters and decision letters, staff reports, findings and resolutions.
• Ability to work independently, follow directions, seek clarification prior to completion of work assignment, analyze quantitative data and qualitative information, and think creatively and critically.
• Experience assisting the public, developers, architects, attorneys and applicants during the project review process for planning applications.
• Ability to write mindful well-organized reports explaining complex planning issues.
• Ability to make professional presentations to the City Council and City Commissions.
• Ability to coordinate and provide assistance with plan checks and front counter customer support services.
• Ability to diligently track time spent working on assigned project applications.
• Adept at Microsoft Office software, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Additional consideration will be given for individuals with expertise in the use of Adobe Creative Suite, Harvest, Accela Automation, Laserfiche and Legistar.

Professional services provided by the selected consultant shall not exceed $150,000 in a calendar year. Any service agreements established through this process require approval by the City Council as per Resolution 2008-019.

IV. RFQ SCHEDULE

The following information is supplied as a guideline rather than as a set of absolute deadlines. The City reserves the right to alter the schedule as necessary.

RFQ Issued: September 10, 2018

Responses Due Date: 4:00pm, October 1, 2018

Evaluation of Responses: October 2-12, 2018

Notification of Selected Firm: October 15-22, 2018

City Council Contract Acceptance: (Consent Item) November 19 or 26, 2018

Initiation of Consulting Services Agreement No later than December 20, 2018

All interested firms should note that any contract pursuant to this solicitation is dependent upon the recommendation of the Selection Committee and the approval of the City Council.

V. SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

Interested firms shall submit three (3) hard copies and one (1) electronic PDF of their proposal. An electronic copy may be provided on CD-ROM, USB thumb drive or emailed. Packets should be as comprehensive as possible and be limited to no more than 32 double-sided pages including any cover pages, resumes, examples, and references. Please do not include pre-prepared stock promotional or marketing materials, brochures, business cards, or fliers in or with the qualifications packet. All packets should include the following minimum information:

1. A statement or cover letter summarizing the key points of the consulting firms' interests and qualifications, pertinent areas of expertise, and the individual or individuals responsible for the work to be performed.
2. A profile of the firm, including information regarding the key person or persons involved, detailing their qualifications, areas of expertise, past experience performing similar work, the firm's office location(s), and staffing, including assignments and sub-consultants (if any).
3. A description of the approach to the work involved, demonstrating their methodology, their knowledge of California planning and zoning laws, the California Environmental Quality Act, and their understanding of the planning entitlement process.
4. A description of the key person's or persons' pertinent experience, including a list of recently performed relevant projects and assignments, past performance, individual and team accomplishments, and examples of experiences working for similar communities. Include the names and contact information of references; at least three (3) must be with public agencies located within Northern California. The Selection Committee may contact references to verify background and experience during the selection process.
5. A clear and comprehensive fee schedule, including a detailed statement of hourly rates for all positions and classifications of individuals involved, including rates for sub-consultants and reimbursable expenses. The schedule should clearly explain all billable costs related to the services provided. Billing methodology should also be clearly described.
6. A sample cost estimate identifying the firm's total cost of a hypothetical senior planner providing contract staffing services to the City for 32 hours per week over a four month period.
7. All qualifications packets shall include a statement indicating that the firm has reviewed the City's Standard Consulting Services Agreement, Attachment A, and is able to meet the Agreement requirements.

This is an abbreviated copy of the RFP. A full copy of this RFP is posted online at: https://www.sanleandro.org/civicax/bids/inc/blobfetch.aspx?blobid=29014

For more information about the City of San Leandro's Planning Division, please visit our website.