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Council authorizes professional services for fire plan checks; staff to issue broader RFP
Summary
To speed plan review the council authorized two professional-service agreements for fire prevention plan checks and directed staff to issue a broader RFP for specialty plan-review services; agreements are paid by applicants through fees.
The City Council approved professional service agreements allowing the city to hire outside consultants for fire prevention plan-check services after hearing that the fire prevention unit lacks in-house capacity.
Fire Department staff said the department has one full-time fire protection specialist and a part-time plan checker but has struggled to keep up with plan checks and inspection demand. The council approved agreements with two firms previously used by the city; those contracts include hourly fee schedules and are funded by applicant plan-check fees and inspection fees, not the general fund, staff said.
Councilmember Brian Gutierrez moved to approve the agreements and also asked staff to issue a broader professional-services RFP to evaluate additional qualified providers. Councilmember Mayor Pro Tem Lopez Viado seconded the motion; the council voted 5-0 to approve the agreements and pursue an RFP so the city could expand its pool of consultants if needed. Staff emphasized the agreements include termination language and that consultants will be engaged only as needed.
Staff also told the council that the two consulting firms did not increase rates since 2020 and that, if plan-check demand grows, staff will monitor budget and make adjustments as appropriate. The council directed staff to solicit other qualified firms — including local engineering firms already doing business with the city — as part of the RFP process.
