title
Resolution Awarding On-Call Contracts to Five Firms for Professional Engineering Design Services
body
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Department: |
Design & Construction |
Meeting Date: |
7/21/2026 |
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Contact Name: |
Justin Carter |
Public Hearing: |
No |
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Contact Phone: |
910-765-7461 |
Advertising Date/Advertised By: |
N/A |
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Attachments: |
Attachment #1: Resolution |
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this resolution is to award on-call contracts for professional engineering design services to five (5) firms, with initial contract durations of three (3) years, with an option to extend for an additional two (2) years, if desired.
BACKGROUND:
On-call contracts are authorized by N.C.G.S. §143-64.31 and are defined as contracts that allow the City to pre-select engineering firms for specific needs, and then, for each project, the firm best suited to the project's needs and expertise is selected. Pre-selecting the firms allows the City to proceed with projects much more quickly than under ordinary circumstances and saves the City and the consultant significant time and money by requiring only a single Request for Qualifications (“RFQ”) submittal instead of one for each project.
Once staff identifies a project and funding has been secured, the pre-selected firm will be requested to provide a draft scope of services and fee. Once the scope and fee are agreed upon by the firm and City staff, the formal award of that project will be presented to Council for consideration if the fee amount exceeds the City Manager’s authority for professional engineering services contracts.
Twenty-five (25) RFQ responses for professional engineering design services were submitted to the City by March 31, 2026. Based on project and personnel experience in the proposals submitted, staff is recommending the five (5) firms listed below to be on-call contractors for professional engineering design services:
• Exult Engineering
• A. Morton Thomas and Associates, Inc. (“AMT”)
• DMRP, Inc.
• WSP USA Inc.
• GFT Infrastructure, Inc.
The above-mentioned firms were selected based on the following information:
1. Experience requested in the RFQ related to professional engineering design services that would include: roadway design, sidewalks and multi-use trail/greenway design and specifications; surveying and property mapping; environmental assessment; permitting; landscape design and specifications; hydraulic and structural design and specifications for bridges; storm drainage system design and specifications; potable water and sanitary system design and specifications; and public meetings.
2. Review by a panel of City and North Carolina Department of Transportation staff, including engineering and management personnel.
3. Consideration of the type of work for the next 3+ years that will include, but is not limited to: surveying and property mapping to meet City standards; determination of the presence of jurisdictional streams and wetlands; geotechnical explorations, pavement design recommendations, and foundation designs for retaining walls and amenities; existing public and private utility investigation and coordination; environmental documents; feasibility studies, alternative analysis, and concept plans; design coordination with adjacent private development projects; engineering design of roadways, bridges, roundabouts, retaining walls, multi-use trails/greenways, potable water systems, sanitary sewer systems, and stormwater systems to meet City/NCDOT/NCDEQ/CFPUA standards; complete plans and technical specifications; plan/profile sheets showing the existing features and all proposed construction features; notes, summaries, and details to supplement design drawings; typical sections; cross sections; identification of off-site drainage impacting the project, location of areas of cross drainage and other drainage features, identification of sediment sensitive areas, and review of potential outfall channels; design of storm drainage systems, including ditches, culverts, closed systems, and outfalls, in accordance with the City’s and NCDOT’s latest guidance documents/manuals; adherence to all applicable watershed rules and all other applicable local, state, and federal guidelines; plans for erosion and sediment control measures to be approved by NCDEQ DEMLR; plans detailing existing and proposed rights-of-way, utility easements, drainage easements, slope easements, and temporary construction easements; property drawings and legal descriptions meeting City standards; landscape plan and detail sheets; site furnishings plan and detail sheets; lighting and site electrical plan and detail sheets; transportation management plans showing how vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic flow will be maintained during construction; pavement marking and signage plans; permitting of projects through NCDOT, NCDEQ, CFPUA and USACE; engineer’s opinion of probable construction costs; project schedule development; right of way services; conduct public meetings and present to City Council during the design process; and bidding and construction phase services, including CEI for Federally Funded Projects.
budget
BUDGET IMPACT:
Funding for these contracts will be available from specific future project budgets.
recommendation
RECOMMENDATION / ACTION REQUESTED:
Staff recommends award of a contract for a three (3) year term, renewable for up to two (2) additional years, with the five (5) firms listed above.