Staff recommends that the City Council approve the award of the Five-Year Agreement for Professional Engineering Services with Morrison-Maierle, Inc. for the Aviation and Transit Department and authorize the Mayor to sign the Agreement.

The Department of Aviation and Transit has historically entered into a five-year professional engineering services agreement with an engineering firm to provide the necessary engineering services for all of the Department of Aviation and Transit's Federally funded Airport Improvement Program (AIP) projects, Federal Transit Administration (FTA) projects, Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) projects, Capital Improvement Projects (CIP), and other general engineering service needs.  The most recent Engineering Agreement expired on April 10, 2022.  The five-year agreement term provides continuity in the design and construction administration that takes place on the Airport's airfield where the majority of the AIP and PFC funded projects take place.  While a longer term might provide a greater continuity of service, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Advisory Circular 150/5100-14E requires that engineering services contracts be limited to five years.

A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) was developed for the engineering services for the Department of Aviation and Transit.  That RFQ was then advertised in the Yellowstone County News on March 25, April 1, and 8, 2022, and posted on the City and Airport's Websites.  The RFQ was sent out to interested parties and proposals were due on April 14, 2022.  In spite of these efforts, only one Statement of Qualifications was received.  The Statement of Qualifications submitted by Morrison-Maierle was reviewed by staff, and it fully complies with all of the requirements of the RFQ.     

City Council may:

• Approve the award of the Five-Year Engineering Agreement with Morrison-Maierle, Inc.; or
• Disapprove the award of the Five-Year Engineering Agreement with Morrison-Maierle, Inc. and advise staff on how to proceed.

There is no immediate financial impact from this Council action.  The future engineering fees associated with each future project will be negotiated with staff and approved by the FAA and FTA before bringing the contract amendment to the Council for approval.  Subsequently, the base agreement will be amended each time a project is undertaken and the financial impact will be presented at that time.  As in the past, the majority of the costs will be funded with FAA or FTA grants.