To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Permit Sonoma
Staff Name and Phone Number: Nathan Quarles 565-1146
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Grading Plan Review Services Contract
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize the Director to execute an agreement with Bureau Veritas for grading plan review services, in an amount not to exceed $150,000 per year for a maximum contract of $300,000 with a term ending March 5, 2026, and with options to extend the term for two additional one-year periods in an annual cost not to exceed $150,000 per year, for a total contract amount with optional extensions not to exceed $600,000.
end
Executive Summary:
Permit Sonoma is requesting authority to execute a grading and storm water plan review services contract with Bureau Veritas in the amount of $150,000 per year for two years, with options to extend for two additional years at the same per year price. Permit Sonoma will evaluate contract extensions based on reductions in the departments plan review processing times, i.e. is the contract being successful, and based on contract funding remaining from the original contract term.
The execution of these two contracts supports one of the initiatives recommended in Permit Sonoma’s Management Review to establish contracts with third-party plan reviewers to provide supplemental plan review assistance to reduce plan review processing times to 30 business days or less. This initiative is included in the management review implementation schedule which was accepted by the Board in 2023.
Third party plan review will assist Permit Sonoma to reduce plan review processing times to 30 business days or less. It is anticipated that when average processing times exceed 30 business days, the plan review contract will be used to assist the department to reduce the processing times. The cost of services will be offset by permits fees as discussed in the fiscal impact section below.
Discussion:
In January 2023, a formal management review of Permit Sonoma was completed by Berry Dunn McNeil & Parker LLC. The objective of the analysis was to review Permit Sonoma’s organizational structure, performing comparison and benchmarking research, and analyzing permit data. The report findings and recommendations were presented to the Board of Supervisors on January 31, 2023. The report included 15 initiatives for consideration by the Board and the department. The Board directed Permit Sonoma to develop a high-level implementation schedule to address the recommendations from the management review.
On March 7, 2023, Permit Sonoma presented the implementation schedule of the recommended 15 initiatives to the Board of Supervisors. Initiative 6 prescribed the establishment of contracts with third-party plan reviewers to assist with completing technical reviews of applications, assist with clearing backlog efforts, and provide as-needed supplement plan review services.
Permit Sonoma returned to the Board during the FY 2023-24 budget hearings with a resource request to fund the grading, septic and building plan review services contract. The Board of Supervisors approved the resource request and allocated a total of $1,250,000 over two years as part of Permit Sonoma’s Fiscal Year 2023-24 annual budget. The estimated contract expense is $150,000 per year for two years for a maximum total of $300,000.
A contract for septic plan review was executed on March 28, 2023, for a term of one year with an option to extend for one additional year. Permit Sonoma intends to administratively extend the septic plan review contract, per the original agreement, for an additional year.
In fall of 2023, Permit Sonoma staff initiated the process to execute the Board’s direction regarding contracts for building plan review and grading plan review. This contract is specifically for grading and storm water plan review services.
The contract process included meeting with the affected unions and union membership for coordination. The Request for Proposals was published on December 20, 2023 There was one vendor that provided a response. The Permit Sonoma review panel consisted of Permit Sonoma’s Deputy Director for Engineering and Construction, Engineering Division Manager, and the City of Santa Rosa’s Planning and Economic Development Department’s Supervising Engineer. The panel evaluated the proposal based on the following criteria: 1) the demonstrated ability to perform the services describe in the scope of work; 2) experience, qualifications and expertise relative to the scope of work; 3) quality of work as verified by references; 4) costs relative to the scope of services; 5) a demonstrated history of providing similar services to comparable entities; 6) a willingness to accept the County’s contract terms; 7) a preference for local firms and 8) a preference for firms providing a living wage Based on the evaluation, the panel selected Bureau Veritas as the sole vendor.
The vendor will review proposed grading plans, drainage reports and storm water best management practices for consistency and compliance with Sonoma County Code Chapters 11 and 11A standards.
Permit Sonoma recommends the Board of Supervisors to authorize the Director to execute the attached contract, including the two options, each to extend for an additional one-year period past the original term of March 5, 2026.
Strategic Plan:
This item directly supports the County’s Five-year Strategic Plan and is aligned with the following pillar, goal, and objective.
Pillar: Organizational Excellence
Goal: Goal 1: Strengthen operational effectiveness, fiscal reliability, and accountability.
Objective: Objective 4: Streamline routine administrative procedures and workflows and delegate more signature authority to department heads in order to re-direct work force resources to more strategic priorities.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
January 31, 2023 - Permit Sonoma Management Review
March 7, 2023 - Permit Sonoma Management Review Implementation Schedule.
June 13, 2023 - Permit Sonoma’s FY 2023-24 Budget Hearing Action
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY23-24 Adopted |
FY24-25 Projected |
FY25-26 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$37,500 |
$150,000 |
$112,500 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
|
|
|
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
$18,750 |
$75,000 |
$56,250 |
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
$18,750 |
$75,000 |
$56,250 |
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$37,500 |
$150,000 |
$112,500 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
There are sufficient budget appropriations in the current year budget to cover contract costs through the end of the fiscal year. Appropriations for future years will be requested through the annual budget process. Funding for the contract will be financed through a combination of the General Fund allocated by the Board during FY 2023-24 budget hearings for this purpose and permit fees. The fiscal impacts are distributed over three fiscal years to coincide with the term of the agreement.
Options to extend the contract for two additional one-year periods will be evaluated based on contract funding remaining on the original contract term.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Attachment 1: Contract with Bureau Veritas
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A