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Board approves $22.3 million MTA contract with Hill International for project controls
Summary
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to approve a contract between the Municipal Transportation Agency and Hill International to provide capital program controls and related support services, with board members pressing MTA staff on oversight, training and how the final price compared to earlier estimates.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a resolution authorizing the Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) to contract with Hill International for capital program control system procurement and related support services for an amount not to exceed approximately $22,268,000.
The contract, described by MTA staff as supplying specialized project-controls expertise and a project-controls software system, won board approval after supervisors asked MTA officials how they would supervise the consultant and why the final negotiated price exceeded earlier estimates.
Supervisor Campos questioned whether the MTA had sufficient in‑house expertise to oversee outside consultants and asked specifically what the consultant would do that current staff could not. Arthur Wong, identified in the meeting as the project construction manager for the SFMTA Central Subway Project, said MTA has staff who can supervise but does not have enough people to perform the detailed scheduling, estimating and integration work required across multiple projects. "We do have staff available that can oversee and gather and make sure all the schedules that are done perform correctly and to integrate them together," Wong said.
Wong told the board the contract will also include training for MTA staff: the contractor will provide instruction in schedule development, estimating and operation of the project controls system as part of the engagement. On the price, Wong said the final negotiated figure was higher than an initial $22 million estimate because of differences in the staffing hours estimated and elements the agency and the contractor reconciled during a brief negotiation.
Supervisor Campos also asked why a vendor that scored higher on the written proposal did not win the contract. Wong said oral demonstrations were part of the selection and that Hill International demonstrated a better organized system during the oral presentations.
The resolution passed on a roll-call vote with 10 ayes; the transcript records no negative votes recorded for this item. The board adopted the resolution and the contract award is authorized to proceed.
The contract will be used to support program controls across MTA capital projects, including the Central Subway program cited by staff during questioning. The MTA and Hill International will negotiate and finalize the task orders under the master contract in subsequent steps.
Votes and formal action The board recorded the roll call on the item and adopted the resolution authorizing the contract. The vote was recorded as 10 ayes; no mover/second was recorded in the public roll call taken on the floor.
What remains to watch Supervisors emphasized the need for internal MTA oversight of contractor work and asked for back‑up documentation of the competitive procurement and scoring. Supervisor Campos requested copies of the procurement backup materials.
