24-028 Council action is requested to issue a purchase order to Project Advocates, LLC in the amount of $857,096 for Consulting Services for the Justice Center Project for the Police Department and adopting amendments to the FY 2023-24 adopted budget which was approved by Ordinance No. 19453. 

Staff recommends approval of this item.

This project is to amend the Project Advocates, LLC agreement for Owner’s Representative services for the development and administration of various City projects to include the Justice Center project. The Procurement Division issued a Request for Proposals for Owner’s Representative Services for Facilities Design & Construction on June 6, 2023, to receive qualified responses for a consulting firm to assist the City in the development of various facility projects around the City. The RFP closed on June 27, 2023. The RFP was published through the Public Purchase e-procurement website, which notified (452) potential respondents; (72) accessed the RFP. Responses were provided by (8) firms, Project Advocates, LLC; Alfred Benesch and Associates; Avison Young Missouri, Inc; Benson Method, LLC; Copaken Brooks; Eskie & Associates, LLC; Marc Taylor Inc and Navigate Building Solutions. The RFP requested respondents to only address qualifications. The respondent with the best qualifications proposal would be approved to provide pricing. After reviewing the criteria of the project experience with similar projects, experience and qualifications of personnel, resources, response to requirements and project approach, it was determined Project Advocates, LLC provided the best qualifications-based proposal. Staff and Project Advocates, LLC then negotiated a price of $25,000 in October 2023 for preliminary services to guide the City through developing initial cost budgets and timelines for various projects; establish overall activities, durations and master project schedule to define the path; and establish a procurement process for design/engineering, consultants, construction and other City contracts related to the various City projects. Since the exact scope of each City project was not known at the time, staff and Project Advocates, LLC agreed to the preliminary services with intent to amend the agreement as each project scope was further defined.

With the initial contract, Project Advocates’ involvement has included RFQ management for the Spaces Needs Assessment and Concept Planning Services for the Justice Center project, which has further refined the scope of the Justice Center project. This change order amends the contract value to include full Owner’s Representative services for the duration of the Justice Center project including: due diligence and initiation; master plan and concept design oversight; design management and procurement; construction oversight and procurement; and activation, occupancy and close out. The new contract total is $885,514 for all services.

Approval of this item shall authorize change orders up to a total of ten (10) percent of the authorized amount, provided appropriations are available.