Approve Tinklenberg Group Proposal for Professional Services Contract Extension

Purpose:
Consider a proposal from The Tinklenberg Group for an extension to an existing professional services contract.  The purpose of this contract is to advance and promote the construction of improvements within the Trunk Highway 10 corridor within the City, more specifically, to seek funding for the upgrading of BNSF impacted interchanges that occur along Highway 10, the City's current priority project.

Background:
The City has worked with the Tinklenberg Group for most of the past decade, with the most recent contract with the Tinklenberg Group was from September 2016 through January 2017.  This current proposal attached runs from February 1, 2017 to June 30, 2017, and is intended to coincide with the current legislative session. 

The most recent contract work has involved meeting with federal and state officials, and working with local staff, to advance Ramsey's interests in developing the Highway 10 corridor.  The City's past efforts in working with Mr. Tinklenberg have yielded a successful conclusion to the $35M Armstrong Project, which has been awarded several grant awards, including a $10M federal (TIGER) grant, a $10M state (CIMS) grant, a $8M bonding allocation from the state, and a $10.2M award from the Counties Transit Investment Board (CTIB), which fully funded the project.  Previously, the North Star Rail Station in Ramsey was also a successful effort.

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Attached is a proposal from The Tinklenberg Group entitled Proposed Extension of the Ramsey US Trunk Highway 10 Improvement Development Plan, dated January, 2017.  The  proposal outlines a number of work plan elements to be performed over the next six months and is intended to capitalize on the work previously performed and to advance US Highway 10 improvements in accordance with the MNDOT plan.  In addition, the plan acknowledges working with a new Congress and the new administration in Washington to continue to seek federal money for completion of this important corridor and to improve rail safety issues. 

Mr. Tinklenberg will be present at the meeting to make a brief presentation and to answer any questions regarding the proposal.



 

The proposed fee is $5,000 per month, the total for the five-month contract being $25,000.  Funds would come from the City's Public Improvement Revolving Fund.

Staff recommends consideration of the proposed contract extension with the Tinklenberg Group for February through June 2017.   
The alternative direction the Council may take is NOT to approve the proposed contract, and to utilize staff and Council Members, or seek another consultant,  to perform the work.  Either alternative will result in a loss of momentum toward the accomplishment of the stated goals.  Consequently, continuation of the contract is recommended.
 

Discuss the consulting services proposal  with the The Tinklenberg Group for an additional five-month contract through June 2016.