MEETING DATE:
JULY 14, 2026
SUBJECT:
Title
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-9637 - ON-CALL CONTRACT FOR TRAFFIC ENGINEERING SERVICES
Body
Recommendation
Recommendation
ADOPT resolution awarding the consultant contract for on-call traffic engineering services to Chen Ryan Associates, Inc. and delegating authority to and authorizing the City Manager to negotiate, finalize, and execute the contract and all related documents.
Body
Board or Commission Action
Not Applicable
Executive Summary
After a review of proposals, City staff recommend two contracts for on-call traffic engineering services, both to be awarded to Chen Ryan Associates, Inc., each in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000.00 over the five-year duration of the contracts, one for local and state-funded projects and one containing provisions required for federally-funded projects.
Discussion
The City regularly requires specialized traffic engineering services to support both ongoing operations and the delivery of capital projects. These services may include traffic engineering review and design, traffic data collection, transportation system analysis, signal operations support, safety evaluations, grant-funded project support, and other technical services that require specialized expertise. While these services are important to City operations, the need for them varies depending on project workload, development activity, grant opportunities, and the timing of projects.
As a business practice, maintaining on-call professional services agreements allows the City to remain flexible and responsive while managing resources efficiently. Many of the services included in the proposed scope require specialized technical knowledge that may not be available internally or may only be needed periodically. In these circumstances, it is not practical or cost-effective for the City to hire full-time staff for every specialized service area, particularly when the need for those services is intermittent or project-specific. An on-call agreement allows the City to access qualified professional expertise when needed without creating ongoing staffing obligations for services that may not be required on a continuous basis.
The proposed award for on-call traffic engineering services agreement will allow the City to assign work on an as-needed basis over the term of the contract. Work would be authorized only when specific services are needed, and the agreement would establish a not-to-exceed value of $1,000,000 over a five-year contract period. This structure provides the City with the ability to manage workload fluctuations, respond to emerging transportation needs, support development review and CIP delivery, and supplement internal capacity when specialized expertise or additional resources are required.
The scope of work also includes federal contracting provisions to allow the agreement to be used for projects funded through a variety of sources that may be programmed in the Capital Improvement Program, including local, state, and federal funds. Including these provisions at the outset provides the City with greater flexibility to assign eligible work under the agreement while maintaining compliance with applicable funding requirements.
On May 12, 2025, the City solicited proposals for the on-call traffic engineering services. Proposals were received from the following firms:
• Chen Ryan Associates, Inc.
• Fehr & Peers
• Interwest Consulting Group
• LLG
• Michael Baker International
• Rick Engineering Company
• TKE Engineering, Inc.
After evaluating proposals, and in conformance with the solicitation documents, the proposal review panel selected Chen Ryan Associates, Inc. as the most qualified proposer. Staff recommend that City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate, finalize, and execute the agreement with Chen Ryan Associates, Inc.
Environmental Review
The proposed award of consultant contract is not a project within the meaning of Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines because there is no potential for it to result in a physical change in the environment, either directly or indirectly. In the event the proposed resolution is found to be subject to CEQA, it is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility of a significant effect on the environment.
Fiscal Impact
The two contracts are proposed in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000.00 over the five-year contract period. Costs associated with the proposed contract have been budgeted in the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Operations & Maintenance Budget and Capital Improvement Projects Budget. The proposed contracts are for on-call use and will only be used when a project or task is budgeted.
Attachment(s)
Resolution
Prepared by: Edd Alberto, City Traffic Engineer
Reviewed by: Stephanie Kellar, Deputy City Engineer
Submitted by: Isaac Etchamendy, Development Services Director/ City Engineer
Approved by: Michelle Bender, City Manager