CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Meeting Notice
Date: 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Location: 1455 Market Street, 22nd Floor
Members: Christopher Waddling (Chair), Wells Whitney (Vice Chair), Brian Larkin, John Larson, Santiago Lerma, Eric Rutledge, Jacqualine Sachs, Raymon Smith and Peter Tannen
6:00 1. Committee Meeting Call to Order
6:05 2. Chair’s Report – INFORMATION
6:10 Consent Calendar
3. Approve the Minutes of the February 25, 2015 Meeting – ACTION* attachment
4. Adopt a Motion of Support for the Award of a Three-Year Legal Services Contract, with an Option to Extend for Two Additional One-Year Periods, to Nossaman LLP and Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP, in an Amount Not to Exceed $750,000, for General Legal Counsel Services and Authorizing the Executive Director to Negotiate the Contract Payment Terms and Non-Material Contract Terms and Conditions – ACTION* attachment
The Transportation Authority maintains a contract with the City and County of San Francisco Office of the City Attorney for routine contract legal matters, and retains Nixon Peabody LLP and Squire Sanders & Dempsey LLP as bond counsel. We also contract with Nossaman LLP (Nossaman) for specialized transportation legal counsel services. That contract is in its fifth year and expires this month. The Transportation Authority’s policy is to competitively re-bid professional services contracts after five years. Thus, on December 12, 2014, we issued a Request for Proposals (RFP 14/15-03) for legal counsel services. By the due date of January 12, we received seven responsive bids, which included both a technical and cost component. On January 16, we issued an invitation to interview four firms. Interviews were conducted on January 21 by a selection panel comprised of Transportation Authority staff. Based on this competitive selection process, the selection panel recommended award of a legal counsel services contract to the two highest-ranked firms, Nossaman and Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP (Wendel Rosen). Giving the wide range of desired proficiencies and experience, there is a need for broad and deep access to legal services in the contract. Therefore, we propose to contract with two firms which the Transportation Authority may call upon. This also is intended to mitigate any conflicts of interest, increase competition and allow for improved responsiveness (e.g. during times of peak demand). We are seeking a motion of support for the award of a three-year legal services contract, with an option to extend for two additional one-year periods, to Nossaman and Wendel Rosen, in an amount not to exceed $750,000, for general legal counsel services, and authorizing for the Executive Director to negotiate the contract payment terms and non-material contract terms and conditions.
5. Adopt a Motion of Support for the Award of an 18-Month Contract to AECOM Technical Services, Inc. in an Amount Not to Exceed $450,000, for Planning, Engineering, and Environmental Services for the I-280 Interchange Modifications at Balboa Park and for Authorizing the Executive Director to Negotiate Contract Payment Terms and Non-Material Contract Terms and Conditions – ACTION* attachment
The Transportation Authority is seeking planning, engineering, and environmental services as needed to secure project approval from the California Department of Transportation and environmental clearance for the realignment of the southbound I-280 off-ramp to Ocean Avenue, and to prepare a Ramp Closure Analysis for the northbound I-280 on-ramp from Geneva Avenue, as part of the I-280 interchange modifications at Balboa Park Project. This work stems from recommended in the Balboa Park Station Area Circulation Study Final Report, which the Transportation Authority adopted last June. On February 6, 2015, the Transportation Authority issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for planning, engineering, and environmental services for the project. By the March 9, 2015 deadline, we received two proposals. A review panel comprised of Transportation Authority staff reviewed the proposals and interviewed both firms on March 18, 2015. Based on the competitive selection process defined in the evaluation criteria of the RFP, the review panel recommends the award of a consultant contract to the top-ranked firm of AECOM Technical Services, Inc. (AECOM). We are seeking a motion of support for the award of an 18-month contract to AECOM in an amount not to exceed $450,000, for planning, engineering, and environmental services for the I-280 interchange modifications at Balboa Park, and authorizing for the Executive Director to negotiate the contract payment terms and non-material contract terms and conditions.
6. CAC Appointment – INFORMATION
The Plans and Programs Committee will consider recommending appointment of one member to the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) at its April 21 meeting. This vacancy resulted from the resignation of Angela Minkin due to her travel schedule and other obligations. Neither staff nor CAC members make recommendations regarding CAC appointments. CAC applications can be submitted through the Transportation Authority’s website at www.sfcta.org/cac. This is an information item.
End of Consent Calendar
6:25 7. Adopt a Motion of Support for the Allocation of $350,000 in Prop K Funds, with Conditions, for Three Requests, Subject to the Attached Fiscal Year Cash Flow Distribution Schedules – ACTION* attachment presentation
As summarized in Attachments 1 and 2, we have three requests from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) totaling $350,000 in Prop K funds to present to the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC). Attachment 3 summarizes our recommendations. The projects include installation of three bicycle barometers similar to the one on Market Street between 9th and 10th Street at to-be-identified locations ($97,500); promotion, day-of events, and evaluation of Bike to Work Day 2015 ($76,000); and advanced planning for project corridors identified in the 2013 Bicycle Strategy, including identification of feasible measures and coordination opportunities, development of recommendations for each project corridor similar to the approach taken to develop the WalkFirst Investment Strategy, and conceptual design of three project corridors ($176,500). At the CAC meeting, staff from the SFMTA will present an overview of the 2013 Bicycle Strategy, which set the vision and goals to make bicycling a part of everyday life in San Francisco. We are seeking a motion of support for the allocation of $350,000 in Prop K funds, with conditions, for three requests, subject to the attached Fiscal Year Cash Flow Distribution Schedules.
6:55 8. Rail Capacity Study Update – INFORMATION* attachment
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority (SFMTA) is developing a Rail Capacity Strategy that identifies and prioritizes improvements to existing infrastructure and system expansion needed to help meet future ridership demand. Strategies include alleviating bottlenecks, improving the vehicle fleet, expanding or extending the light rail system, and building system resiliency. Initial engineering will be conducted for near term improvements that can be delivered in the next five years. Long term improvements identified in the strategy will inform the new Metropolitan Transportation Commission-led San Francisco Bay Area Core Capacity Transit Study as well as the next San Francisco Transportation Plan and Regional Transportation Plan (also known as Plan Bay Area) updates. SFMTA staff will provide an update on the Rail Capacity Study at the March CAC meeting. This is an information item.
7:20 9. Major Capital Projects Update – Central Subway – INFORMATION* attachment
2014 was another milestone year for the Central Subway project. Work on the $233 million tunnels contract reached a major milestone in June, when both tunnel boring machines completed the tunnel bores from the launch box under I-80 to the extraction pit in North Beach. The contractor also completed the construction of the headwalls for the three underground stations and all five cross passages between the tunnels. Substantial completion of this contract is expected in April 2015. Work is also underway on the largest single construction contract ever awarded by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency: the $840 million Stations and Systems contract. The contractor, Tutor Perini will construct the three underground stations, the surface station, and the overall systems for the project. In January, work ramped up at the Union Square station after the removal of the Winter Walk, an urban park and open space which was installed for the holidays. At that station, pile installation has been completed and work has commenced at the Union Square garage. Slurry wall installation on the perimeter walls for the Chinatown Station headhouse has been completed, and construction has begun on the roof slab at the Yerba Buena/Moscone station. As of the end of January, this contract was 26.88% complete. Substantial completion of this contract is scheduled for February 2018. As of December 31, 2104, the project had paid out $95.57 million to Small Business Enterprises. With a budget of $1.578 billion, revenue service is anticipated by December 2018. This is an information item.
7:30 10. State and Federal Legislative Update – INFORMATION* attachment
Every month we provide an update on state and federal legislation and, when appropriate, seek recommendations to adopt new positions on active legislation. The attached matrix tracks the latest activity on state bills, and the positions previously adopted by the Transportation Authority. February 27 was the last day to introduce a bill to be considered this session, so there were a lot of additions to the matrix this month. At the meeting, we will also provide an overview of proposed express lanes legislative changes that were published by the California State Transportation Agency (attached) and are expected to be incorporated into a budget trailer bill. At its March 10 meeting, the Finance Committee recommended a support position on Assembly Bill (AB) 40 (Ting), AB 227 (Alejo), AB 378 (Mullin), AB 464 (Mullin), AB 516 (Mullin), AB 1265 (Perea), AB 1287 (Chiu), Assembly Constitutional Amendment 4, Senate Bill (SB) 321 (Beall), and SB 564 (Cannella), and an oppose position on AB 1138 (Patterson) and AB 1160 (Harper). This is an information item.
7:45 11. Introduction of New Business – INFORMATION
7:50 12. Public Comment
8:00 13. Adjournment
* Additional materials
Next Regular Meeting: April 22, 2015
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