The City of Garden Grove has various divisions requiring geotechnical services, such as Streets & Storms Drains, Water, and the Sanitary District.  Historically, however, the primary demand for geotechnical services has come from the capital projects section.  There is a need for geotechnical fieldwork, analysis, reports and studies, materials testing and acceptance, quality assurance testing, and independent analysis of civil engineering designs.

Currently, the City of Garden Grove has neither geotechnical staff nor a laboratory, and therefore needs to engage the services of consultants to meet the various geotechnical needs of capital project design and construction.

Staff sent out five (5) requests for proposals to geotechnical firms for on-call geotechnical services and all five (5) consultants submitted a proposal.  Staff reviewed the qualifications, work experience and references and found that of Associated Soils Engineering, Inc., Geocon West, Inc., and GMU Geotechnical, Inc., were evaluated as best proposals in responding to the City’s request for proposal.

Five (5) proposals were received and found to be responsive. Proposals were rated based on experience, proposed workplan, and work schedule. Bidding vendors and their corresponding scores are listed below.

Selected vendor proposals are attached for Council consideration.

There is no financial impact to the General Fund. Each agreement will be established for a 3-year period in the amount, not to exceed, of $400,000 each, with two (2) one-year options at $150,000 per year.  Funding for these services will come from the various funds used by Capital Projects and other divisions that require geotechnical services.

It is recommended that the City Council:

• Award on-call professional geotechnical services for capital improvement projects to: Associated Soils Engineering; GMU Geotechnical; and Geocon West, in the amount of $400,000 per contract;

• Approve two one year option agreements in the amount of $150,000 per year for each contract; and

• Authorize the City Manager to execute the contracts, including option year agreements, on behalf of the City, and to make minor modifications as necessary.

By:  Mark Uphus, P.E., Sr. Civil Engineer