TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THRU: Jarad Hildenbrand, City Manager
FROM: Leslie Hardy, Community and Library Services Director
1. Subject
title
Agreement with Glenn A. Rick Engineering and Development Company, DBA RICK Engineering Company, for design services for the El Modena Basin Area Improvements Project
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2. Summary
The approval of a professional services agreement for design services for El Modena Basin Area Improvements will include development of conceptual/preliminary plans and construction documents for a project that will enhance and expand the park’s functionality by improving the existing decomposed granite path to provide a continuous, ADA-accessible loop with improved grading and by utilizing solar-powered fixtures to provide area and pathway lighting.
3. Recommended Action
recommendation
Approve agreement with Glenn A. Rick Engineering and Development Company, DBA RICK Engineering Company in the amount of $224,778.40 for design services for the El Modena Basin Area Improvements Project (267018); and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute on behalf of the City.
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4. Fiscal Impact
The total cost for this agreement, including contingency, is $224,778.40 and will be funded through the Park Acquisition & Development Fund (510) in account 510-7201-84101 (267018-40)- CIP El Modena Basin Area Improvements project (267018).
5. Strategic Plan Goals
Goal 3: Enhance Quality of Life Through City Services
6. Discussion and Background
Through an agreement with Orange County Flood Control District (OCFCD), the City operates the El Modena Basin, located north of the intersection of S. Hewes Street and E. Jordan Avenue, as a public park. Existing amenities include a decomposed granite (DG) walking path around the basin reservoir, limited open space, and minimal site furnishings. This project will enhance and expand the park’s functionality by improving the existing DG path to provide a continuous, ADA-accessible loop with improved grading and by utilizing solar-powered fixtures to provide area and pathway lighting throughout the site. Other improvements may include irrigation upgrades, new landscaping, and additional seating areas. In addition, the project is intended to strengthen connectivity to adjacent community facilities including El Modena Library, El Modena Park, and surrounding neighborhoods.
A Request for Proposals (RFP) 25-26.22 was advertised for design services in May 2026, with proposals due on June 16, 2026. Eleven proposals were submitted. Evaluation of submitted proposals was completed via a two-stage rating process. First, an objective “preliminary” panel consisting of internal staff and external staff from a neighboring city evaluated the proposals based on the firm’s experience, overall qualifications, record of successful projects, and overall responsiveness to the RFP. Proposal costs were submitted in separate sealed envelopes and were not considered by preliminary panelists. Final scores and rankings were determined via aggregation of preliminary panelists ratings. A secondary panel then collaboratively reviewed and rated the qualified, “passing” proposals based upon the preliminary panel’s ratings, cost proposals, and references. A Proposal Scoring and Ranking Summary (Attachment 1) is attached for reference.
Glenn A. Rick Engineering and Development Company, DBA RICK Engineering Company (RICK) received the highest score (93.98 out of 100) and had a total base bid amount of $147,371.50. Staff verified the qualifications of the vendor with references provided for similar projects and received positive responses.
The scope of work will include the design of the improvements and the development of biddable construction documents, which will take approximately 11 months to complete and will include several opportunities for public input, including discussion at a future Park Planning and Community Events Commission meeting. The process will also include coordination with OCFCD and the Irvine Ranch Water District, which operates the basin.
At the conclusion of the review process, City staff negotiated with RICK to ensure that all elements of the proposed scope of services adequately addressed project needs. During negotiations, staff requested supplemental tasks be included as additional or optional scope elements. A primary additional scope item that was requested for inclusion was a provision of additional environmental processing tasks including National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) document development, which is anticipated to be required should the City receive $2,250,000.00 in federal funding from the Federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Project Funding (CPF) requested for construction via Congressman Correa’s office. Although approval of the federal funding request is not guaranteed, staff is anticipating the project’s construction to be eligible to receive the federal award by preemptively. Tandem California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) processing tasks are also expected to be required.
The necessity of additional CEQA and NEPA related services became known after the RFP solicitation process was largely completed, resulting in additional tasks being required during negotiations. Additional tasks also included expanded construction engineering support services, enhanced landscape conception creation, and bolstered outreach and support services. The expanded proposal, including all optional additional items was submitted in the amount of $204,344.00.
As a part of the Fiscal Year 2025-26 (FY 26) Community Services Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), the City Council appropriated $230,000.00 in Park Acquisition & Development Fund (510) funding for the design portion of the project. Staff is recommending Council approve an agreement with RICK in an amount of $224,778.40 which includes bid assistance and other construction support services during the construction phase of this project as well as optional additional services for CEQA and NEPA and associated tasks. Approval of an additional ten percent (10%) contingency amount of $20,434.40 is also included for a total not-to-exceed agreement amount of $224,778.40.
7. ATTACHMENTS
• Attachment 1: Proposal Scoring and Ranking Summary
• Attachment 2: Agreement with RICK Engineering Company