TO: AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM: Michael A. Hursh, General Manager/Chief Executive Officer
SUBJECT: AC Transit Realign Timeline Extension and Change Order Approval for Realign Consultant Services
ACTION ITEM
AGENDA PLANNING REQUEST: ☐
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Title
Consider authorizing the General Manager to execute an amendment to Contract 2020-1446 with Kittelson & Associates in support of the District’s Realign initiative, adding $450,000 to the contract, bringing the total contract amount to $2,141,197.23, and extending the term through June 30, 2025.
Staff Contact:
Ramakrishna Pochiraju, Executive Director of Planning & Engineering
Beverly Greene, Executive Director of External Affairs, Marketing & Communications
Body
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE:
Goal - Convenient and Reliable Service
Initiative - Service Quality
The Realign planning effort combines a comprehensive review of existing service, robust public and stakeholder engagement, and market research and analysis to craft a new service network for the District that responds to the new travel needs of the communities we serve and maximizes service within the available resources.
BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT:
The original value of the Kittelson and Associates task order for consultant support for Realign was $1,470,606.29. One change order of $220,590.94, within the General Manager’s 15% contract change order authority, has been processed to account for additional consultant support needed over the course of the project, including the addition of five additional community-based organization partnerships for a total of ten, and additional outreach and engagement events to boost public participation in harder-to-reach communities. In response to Board direction at the January 24, 2024, meeting, staff has identified additional resources needed to continue the analysis, outreach and engagement efforts at a maximum additional cost of up to $450,000. The new contract total will be $2,141,197.23.
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
A new Realign network was initially planned for implementation in August 2024. The six-month extension of the Realign initiative, per Board direction at the January 24, 2024, meeting, will postpone implementation of potential service changes to March 2025 (Spring sign-up). Staff is requesting authorization to extend the term, expand the scope of work and increase the value of the contract Kittelson & Associates by up to $450,000. Refer to Attachment 1 for additional scope and an associated revised project schedule.
ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES:
The primary advantage of the proposed change order is that it will allow for additional public engagement during the extended consideration of service changes and extend the Realign initiative schedule to support additional planning activities necessary to respond to the Board’s motion at the January 2024 meeting.
The primary disadvantage is the cost of the extension; however, without the change order, the District would not be able to deliver additional engagement with community-based organization (CBO) partners for the plan revisions requested by the Board.
ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS:
Staff considered moving forward with the Board’s requested revisions absent a change order to the Kittelson & Associates contract, but that approach would mean significantly less engagement with harder-to-reach communities, and no support for the planning team working on the Realign plan revisions.
PRIOR RELEVANT BOARD ACTION/POLICIES:
Board Policy 314 Capital Plan and Projects Policy
Administrative Regulation 467A Contract Change Management
SR 22-502 Network Redesign Timeline Update and Procurement Approval
SR 23-250 Realign Network Plan Update
SR 23-250a Realign Network Plan Update
SR 23-250b Realign Network Plan Update
SR 23-250c Realign Network Plan Update and Revised Guiding Principles Approval
SR 23-250d Realign Draft Service Scenarios
SR 23-250e Realign Phase 3 Summary
SR 23-250f Set Public Hearings: Realign Draft Final Plan Proposal
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Proposed Scope of Work for Change Order
Prepared by:
David Berman, Senior Transportation Planner
In Collaboration with:
Michael Eshleman, Service Planning Manager
Diann Castleberry, External Affairs Representative
Jonathan Bair, Marketing & Communications Manager
Approved/Reviewed by:
Robert del Rosario, Director of Service Development and Planning
Claudia Burgos, Director of Legislative Affairs & Community Relations
Nichele Laynes, Director of Marketing & Communications
Beverly Greene, Executive Director of External Affairs, Marketing & Communications
Ramakrishna Pochiraju, Executive Director of Planning & Engineering
Chris Andrichak, Chief Financial Officer
Shayna van Hoften, Interim General Counsel/Chief Legal Officer