Staff recommends that City Council award Amendment 1 to the W.O. 25-36 professional engineering services contract to Sanbell in the amount of $240,410.

Council is asked to authorize and execute Amendment 1 to W.O. 25-36 Rimrock Road 54th to 62nd Contract for Professional Services with Sanbell. The City of Billings is continuing its two-phase effort to improve Rimrock Road from 54th Street West to 62nd Street West and from Clearview Drive to 54th Street West to meet arterial street standards and accommodate current and future traffic demands. Phase 1 of this effort, W.O. 25-36 Rimrock Road – 54th Street West to 62nd Street West, is currently under design by Sanbell Engineering.  The next phase of the work will cover the second phase of Rimrock Road from Clearview Drive to 54th Street West. The amendment includes three main elements of engineering services:

1)  Design of W.O. 26-07 Rimrock Road – Clearview Drive to 54th Street West (Phase 2), which represents the next segment of the overall Rimrock Road corridor improvement initiative. Phase 2 includes full roadway reconstruction between Clearview Drive and 54th Street West, with improvements such as street widening, curb and gutter, storm drainage, sidewalks and/or multi-use path, and street lighting. The design will also evaluate and include sidewalk and street lighting improvements along the south side of Rimrock Road from Shiloh Road to 54th Street West. Coordination with the Rimrock Road corridor master planning efforts will also be included.

2)  The City’s Safe Routes to School Plan Phase 2 identified a need for a pedestrian crossing at Rimrock Road and 46th Street West. This amendment includes the preliminary and final design of that crossing, that can be bid as an additive alternate to the W.O. 26-07 Rimrock Road – Clearview Drive to 54th Street West project and awarded if budget allows.  Staff believes a bid price for this work element could be more cost-effective when bid as part of the Rimrock Road project rather than as a stand-alone project.

3)  As part of the Rimrock Road 54th to 62nd Street phase, additional professional services are needed to complete floodplain analysis and permitting required by the City of Billings, Yellowstone County, and FEMA. These services are necessary to ensure project compliance and to advance the project toward construction readiness.

Construction of Rimrock Road from 54th Street West to Clearview Drive is anticipated to begin in summer 2026, with funding programmed in the FY26 budget and proposed FY27 Capital Improvements Plan (CIP). A separate contract amendment for construction administration services will be requested following completion of design and bidding, once construction duration and funding are finalized.  Considering the original contract for Phase I in the amount of $542,840 and this amendment in the amount of $240,410, the total design fee is about 5.4% of the construction cost of the two phases, currently estimated at $14,438,000.

A request for proposals was solicited for both phases of Rimrock Road when a selection was made for Phase 1. Sanbell was selected for W.O. 25-36 (phase 1) and W.O. 26-07 (phase 2) based on City staff review of proposals from pre-qualified firms experienced in arterial reconstruction and major storm drain design. Three firms submitted proposals, and Sanbell was selected based on their project team and availability, approach to the project, and relevant qualifications and experience. The other firms considered for the work included AE2S, DOWL, HDR, Jacobs, KLJ, Morrison-Maierle, and Stahly Engineering. The selection was based on Project Team and Availability; Project Approach; and Firm Qualifications and Experience as related to the project needs. 

City Council may:

• Approve Amendment 1 to the Contract for Professional Services with Sanbell in the amount of $240,410 ; or,
• Not Approve Amendment 1 to the Contract for Professional Services with Sanbell. If the contract is not approved, the design to replace deteriorated pavement, add storm drainage, improve safety, install multi-modal facilities, and perform required flood plain analysis and permitting cannot be completed.

The Rimrock Road phase 2 project was budgeted in FY26 using Gas Tax Funds and Storm Assessments in the amount of $475,000 for engineering. There are adequate funds to award this amendment ($240,410.00).