HomeMy WebLinkAbout7.1 Building Inspection Services Bid (4 00 -3O
CITY OF DUBLIN
AGENDA STATEMENT
MEETING DATE : March 28 , 1983
SUBJECT Building Inspection Services
EXHIBITS ATTACHED Request for Proposal
RECOMMENDATION Qo�`Authorize Staff to solicit proposals for contract
r building inspection services
FINANCIAL STATEMENT: To be determined
DESCRIPTION To date, the County of Alameda Public Works Agency has
provided building inspection services, housing code enforcement and zoning
enforcement to the City of Dublin on a contractual basis . In accordance
with the City ' s agreement with the County, all building permit fees are
collected and kept by the County for inspection and plan review services
rendered, while the City is directly billed for any housing code or zoning
enforcement required by the City. All permits are issued by the County at
the Public Works Offices in Hayward.
Last year, the County was asked whether it could provide a local permit
office in Dublin . The County Building Department did not think the
establishment of such an office feasible .
One of the objectives of incorporation was to provide a higher level of
service to the community. In order to accomplish this goal in the provision
of building permit and inspection services , it is advantageous to have
building department services provided from the City Offices, which are more
accessible and convenient to Dublin residents and the business community.
In addition, it is critical that a good line of communication be established
between the planning, public works and building functions , in order that
inconvenience to applicants and misunderstandings resulting from poor
communication between each function is minimized.
Building inspection services are typically provided in Cities by:
1 ) City Employees
2 ) Contract with the County
3 ) Contract with a private firm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
r� COPIES TO:
ITEM NO. !• 1
AGENDA STATEMENT: Building Inspection Services
Page 2
Most Cities hire their own building inspection personnel . The greatest
disadvantage of having in-house personnel perform building inspection
services results with fluctuations in building activity. When building
activity is depressed, permit fees do not cover the cost of building
department operations unless Staff is layed off. When building activity
increases dramatically, in-house building department personnel is
insufficient to handle the increased workload, unless the City contracts for
private inspectors to supplement its work force .
The advantage of having. a contract building inspection department is the
flexibility in dealing with fluctuating construction activity. When
construction activity declines, less contract inspection and plan review
would be required, and thus less costs would be incurred by the City. The
problem with contracting for building inspection is finding a contractor
that has a large enough pool of experienced inspectors to draw upon.
In order to determine the availability of such contract services, it would
seem appropriate to solicit proposals . Attached is a Request for Proposal
for Building Inspection Services which has been prepared by Staff.
Recommendation
It is Staff ' s recommendation that the City Council authorize the
solicitation of Proposals for Building Inspection Services . Once the City
has received proposals from interested firms, Staff will prepare an analysis
of the costs and benefits of utilizing in-house personnel as opposed to
utilizing those contract services which are available .
C I T Y O F D U B L I N
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
BUILDING INSPECTION SERVICES
The City of Dublin was incorporated on February 1 , 1982 . The City of
Dublin is a contract City, and has contracted with the County of Alameda
Public Works Agency for Building Inspection Services since incorporation.
However , the City wishes to provide a higher immediate level of service to
the community by providing inspection and permit services within the
Dublin City Offices . It is believed that contract building inspection
services can best meet the fluctuating workload which cities often
experience .
Therefore , the City of Dublin is soliciting proposals from qualified firms
or individuals who could provide adequate staffing when needed to
administer and enforce the City ' s building, electrical , plumbing,
mechanical and housing codes ; and the City ' s zoning ordinance on a
contractual basis . Such administration and enforcement shall include the
' duties set forth in the ordinances of the City for the building official ,
and in the performance of .such work, the officials and building inspectors
of the firm shall have the powers and duties of a building inspector of
the City.
i SERVICES & RESPONSIBILITIES
The services & responsibilities which the City is desirous of contracting
for include the following:
A. Plan Review
. 1 . Engineer shall be required to review plans submitted and prepared
by or on behalf of various private developers in a timely and professional
manner for compliance with the ordinances of the City and State
regulations .
2 . Engineer shall maintain close liaison with the City ' s Planning
Department in order that planning requirements are incorporated within the
plans to be reviewed.
3 . Engineer shall be responsible to arrange for reviews by other
agencies having jurisdiction in such matters relative to the enforcement
of fire codes , sanitation codes , health codes and other applicable codes .
Once satisfied that all appropriate requirements of the City ' s
codes have been met , Engineer shall issue permits as set forth in such
codes .
B. Building Inspection
I . Engineer shall provide building inspection services during the
course of construction of such private facilities to achieve compliance
with the provisions of the applicable City ordinances , State regulations
and other code requirements . As required, Engineer shall issue occupancy
permits when final inspection has been made .
2 . In the performance of such duties , Engineer shall provide prompt
inspection for each project at the completion of the various stages of
construction to determine compliance with the appropriate City and State
codes and approved plans .
C. Zoning Enforcement
I . Engineer shall provide for enforcement of the City ' s zoning
ordinance by making investigations and follow up inspections to assure
compliance with the zoning ordinance and the conditions of approval of
various variances , conditional use permits , site reviews and other zoning
approvals as directed by the City ' s Planning Director. Enforcement may
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
BUILDING INSPECTION SERVICES
include preparation of cases for citation hearings and criminal
proceedings in Municipal Court . Engineer shall perform other related
activities as directed by the City Planning Director.
D. Housing Code Enforcement
1 . Engineer shall enforce the City ' s housing code by investigation of
reports and complaints regarding substandard housing conditions , and where
necessary , prepare cases for citation hearings , criminal proceedings in
Municipal Court , and civil abatement proceedings . Engineer shall perform
other activities related to housing code enforcement as directed by the
City Planning Director.
BUILDING INSPECTION OFFICE
1 . Engineer shall maintain office hours as specified by the City.
2 . City will provide an office for conducting the duties set forth
above , including necessary furnishings , telephone , codes , documents and
other supplies .
3 . Engineer shall design and prepare all permit forms and reporting
forms necessary to conduct the business of a building inspection
department , subject to the approval of the City.
4. Within the building inspection office , Engineer shall assemble and
maintain all records customarily maintained by a City building department
and make all reports legally required to other governmental agencies . All
such records and reports shall at all times be the property of the City.
5 . City will provide any clerical assistance needed to provide
adequate support for the building department .
PERMIT ISSUANCE & COLLECTION OF FEES
I . All permits will be issued from the City Offices .
2 . All permit fees collected from any private developer, engineer, or
architect in connection with the carrying out of the functions as set
forth in this agreement , if collected by Engineer, shall be collected in
the name of the City and shall be accounted for daily. I Engineer shall
employ recordkeeping measures acceptable to the City. If the fees are
collected by the City, Engineer shall review the appropriate ordinances
and fee schedules in effect by the City and shall provide to the persons
designated by the City for collection of fees the amount of such fees to
be collected.
i
COMPENSATION
All proposals should include the compensation required by the building
inspection firm to provide the services listed above . Cost of services
performed should be in the form of an hourly rate and/or a percentage of
,the City ' s permit fees .
GENERAL CONDITIONS
1 . Engineer shall provide no services for any private client within
the corporate boundaries or sphere of influences of the City during the
term of this agreement .
2 . City shall not be called upon to assume any liability for the
direct payment of any salary, wage , or other compensation to any person
employed by the Engineer performing services for the City.
2 _
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
BUILDING INSPECTION SERVICES
3 . Engineer shall hold harmless the City from damages , cost or
expenses that may arise because of damage to property or injury to persons
received or suffered by reason of the operation of Engineer which may be
occasioned by any negligent act or omission to act which amounts to
negligence on the part of the Engineer or any of his agents , officers and
employees and subcontractors .
4. Engineer agrees to provide at his own expense general liability
insurance in the amount not less than $1 ,000 ,000 , and further name the
City as an additional insured .
5 . Engineer shall provide the City with evidence that it has Worker ' s
Compensation Insurance covering all its employees and professional
liability insurance in the amount of $1 ,000,000.
6 . Engineer shall assume liability for the wrongful or negligent
acts , errors and omissions of its officers , agents and employees and
subcontractors in regard to any functions to activity carried out by
Engineer on behalf of the City.
7 . The services of the Engineer may be terminated by the City at any
time with or without cause . In the event of such termination, the
Engineer shall be compensated for such services up to the point of
termination. Such compensation for work in progress shall be prorated as
the percentage of progress completed at the date of termination. If the
Engineer terminates his services to the City, it shall be by 3 months
advance written notice to the City.
QUALIFICATIONS
In all replies to this Request for Proposal , the following qualifications
must be documented :
1 . Engineer must provide City with the name of the individual who
will function and be designated as the City ' s Chief Building Official .
The qualifications of this individual and all other individuals who would
work in any capacity for the City should be attached to the Proposal .
2 . Engineer must be able to demonstrate an acceptable level of
experience in all facets of building inspection and plan review.
3 . Engineer must demonstrate past experience in performing the
functions of a municipal building department .
4. Engineer must indicate to what extent subcontracting of services
is to be used.
5 . Engineer must be willing to hold office hours and further be
available to attend Planning Commission and City Council meetings when
requested to do so by the City.
DEADLINE
All proposals should be submitted to the Dublin City Offices no later
than April 25 , 1983. Any questions regarding this proposal should be
directed to Richard Ambrose , City Manager, at 829-4600, Dublin City
Offices , 6500 Dublin Boulevard, Suite 101 , Dublin, California 94568 .
- 3 -