REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on an Agreement with Biggs Cardosa Associates, Inc. for Design Professional Services for the Bridge Preventive Maintenance Project
Report
BACKGROUND
The City’s bridge inventory includes 49 bridges. Of these bridges, two are jointly owned with City of San Jose, and seven are jointly owned with City of Sunnyvale. There are also three additional bridges owned by the State of California for which the City has responsibilities under maintenance agreements. The State of California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is responsible for performing regular inspections of the bridges involving public streets and provides maintenance and repair work recommendations to the City. The Department of Public Works manages the City’s bridge assets and evaluates the work recommendations for implementation.
In 2019, staff applied for grant funding through the Caltrans Bridge Preventative Maintenance Program (BPMP) to address work recommendations at 12 bridges. In 2022, staff received notification from Caltrans that a total of $1,469,216 was approved and programmed into the Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP). The funds are administered by Caltrans through a phased process beginning with the design phase. In January 2025, the City received an authorization from Caltrans to proceed with the design phase. The City Council approved the appropriation of these funds, totaling $262,360, to the Bridge Maintenance Program project on June 24, 2025.
The Bridge Preventive Maintenance Project (Project) includes the design and construction of repairs at 12 bridges based upon repair recommendations. A location map is included as Attachment 1. The anticipated repairs include placing concrete overlays and waterproofing treatments on bridge deck surfaces, and repairing joint seals, spalling concrete, and bridge railings. The specific improvements are subject to refinement and change during the course of the Project based upon further engineering design and the available construction budget.
To prepare the design and construction bid documents, the City will need to retain a consultant to provide engineering design services.
DISCUSSION
Pursuant to City Code Section 2.105.140(c) and State and Federal laws governing procurement of architectural and engineering services, the City followed a qualifications-based selection process. Under this process, proposers are evaluated based on their demonstrated competence and qualifications, and the most qualified proposer(s) is selected, subject to the negotiation of fair and reasonable compensation.
On November 7, 2025, a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) was published on the City’s e-procurement platform and the City received one responsive proposal. Because the Project is federally funded, it must follow Caltrans procedures which recommend readvertising an RFP if less than three proposals are received. On December 19, 2025, the RFP was readvertised on the City’s e-procurement platform, which was viewed by over 50 members, including consultants, plan rooms, and builder exchanges, among others. Staff also provided direct notifications to consultants who had viewed similar projects in the past.
The City received proposals from three firms: Artin Engineering, Biggs Cardosa Associates, Inc., and CSG Consultants, Inc. A proposal review panel consisting of staff from the Department of Public Works Design, Field Services, and Streets Divisions evaluated each proposal based on the criteria outlined in the RFP, including responsiveness, firm qualifications, key staff qualifications and availability, project approach, and project schedule. Based on the panel’s evaluation, staff recommend awarding the agreement to Biggs Cardosa Associates, Inc. (BCA). BCA demonstrated a strong understanding of the Project requirements and presented a comprehensive and effective approach to addressing the services identified in the RFP. BCA also brings extensive engineering experience within the Bay Area and a proven track record of successfully delivering similar projects.
The proposed agreement (Attachment 2) includes a negotiated scope of services and fees based upon the understanding of the work to be performed. The scope of services generally includes project management and coordination, preliminary engineering, environmental analysis, Caltrans process support, permitting, construction documents, bidding support, construction support, and project close-out.
Staff recommends entering into an agreement with Biggs Cardosa Associates, Inc. for the Project. Approval of this agreement will provide the design professional services necessary to develop the design and construction documents to implement the Project. The Agreement includes prevailing wage requirements.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action is for design professional services and the action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") Guidelines section 15378 as the action being considered does not commit the City to undertake the project and future discretionary approvals are required by the City to approve the project for construction. Environmental review in accordance with CEQA will occur as part of the design and approval process. Because the project is federally funded, environmental review will also be completed under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as part of the design and approval process.
FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed agreement is for a total not to exceed amount of $466,237, consisting of $423,852 for basic services and $42,385 for additional services. Funds for the agreement are available in the FY 2026/27 Adopted Capital Improvement Program budget in the Bridge Maintenance Program project in the Streets and Highways Capital Fund. This Project budget includes the carryover of the remaining federal funding through the BPMP authorized by Caltrans for the design phase, totaling $261,748, along with other project funds. Federal funds in the amount of $1,206,856 for the construction phase are subject to future authorizations by Caltrans and appropriation of these funds will be brought forward for Council’s consideration in the future following the design phase and authorization of the funds by Caltrans.
COORDINATION
This report has been coordinated with the Finance Department and the City Attorney’s Office.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov or at the public information desk at any City of Santa Clara public library.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
1. Authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Biggs Cardosa Associates, Inc. for the Bridge Preventive Maintenance Project in the amount not-to-exceed $466,237 for design professional services required for the Project, in a final form approved by the City Attorney; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute amendments to the agreement to make modifications as needed, including time extensions, subject to the compensation limit and appropriation of funds, in final forms approved by the City Attorney.
Staff
Reviewed by: Craig Mobeck, Director of Public Works
Approved by: Jovan Grogan, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Project Location Map
2. Agreement