Recommendation
Staff recommends award of the Architectural/Engineering Design Contract - Construction Bid Document Phase - to Wheeler Goodman Masek Architects of Annapolis, Maryland, for the conversion of the Old Rockville Post Office into the new home for the Rockville Police Department, in the amount of $201,055. This award is a modification to Purchase Order #900-0311080357 for additional services in accordance with the pricing, terms and conditions of Contract RFP #08-08 (Category A) .

Discussion
The Rockville Post Office ceased full time operations in October 2006. The Federal Government/General Services Administration (GSA) determined the property to be surplus for Federal government use. Staff notified the GSA in September of 2005 of the City's interest in acquiring the Post Office for a Police use. The City of Rockville now officially owns the Post Office and the site.

The City has worked closely with the Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) to present its plans for reuse of the Post Office and has obtained MHT’s written approval for the proposed project designs. The Historic District Commission (HDC) conducted a courtesy review of the project at their September 18, 2008 meeting, and approved the massing, scale and size of the proposed addition to the Old Post Office, scale and size of the proposed annex building, and requested a number of specific design considerations for the project. At subsequent courtesy review meetings held with MHT (April 14, 2009) and the HDC (April 16, 2009), proposed alterations to the project designs, massing, scale and size were approved. These design alterations included enlarging the size of the annex building, so that the entire Police Department can be accommodated at the Post Office site. This will allow the lease for Police office space at 20 Courthouse Square to be phased out, saving the City more than $100,000 per year in lease costs, now being paid for in the operating budget.

Beginning in November 2006, the City contracted with Wheeler Goodman Masek Architects (WGM) for a feasibility-due diligence study of the adaptive reuse of the Post Office for the City's Police Department headquarters. WGM did an excellent job of performing this initial study. WGM also provided valuable guidance and assistance in presenting the City's proposed plans to the Maryland Historic Trust and the City's Historic District Commission.

Scope of Work for Next Phases of Design - Construction Bid Document Phase
Under the contract recommended for award in this agenda item, WGM will perform the following key Scope of Work items:

• Provide continuing professional services, specifically to advance the bid documents for the conversion of the existing Post Office property into the new home of the Rockville Police Department from 35% to 100% completion.
• Services will be based upon the Phase 2 Partial Set of 35% Complete Bid Documents prepared by WGM Architects
• Complete the Development Review Process for a Special Exception, including:

• Presentation at a final MHT Easement Committee Meeting for Final Approval
• Team Meetings with City of Rockville Project Manager, Chief of Police and various user groups
• Presentation to Senior Management and Mayor and Council as appropriate
• Coordinate with City's Consultants (Traffic, Roof, etc.) for project considerations
• Develop bid documents to a 100% completion (Drawings and Written Specifications)
• Provide completed, anticipated LEED Credit Checklist to display compliance with proposed Rockville Green Ordinance

Mayor and Council History
City staff notified the Mayor and Council of the potential to acquire the Old Post Office in the fall of 2005.

• A Project Tracking sheet was created in March 2006 and the Mayor and Council have received quarterly updates since then.
• The Mayor and Council approved the City's formal application to acquire the Post Office at their meeting on May 21, 2007.
• Staff and our consultant, Edward Masek, presented the results of the Feasibility/Due Diligence Study to the Mayor and Council on July 16, 2007. This report included building condition, feasibility for Police uses, concept renovation/improvement designs, parking, capital and operating costs.
• The Mayor and Council approved funding for design of the adaptive re-use of the Post Office in the FY 2008 Capital Improvements Program Budget.
• On September 22, 2008, in General Session, the Mayor and Council authorized the City Manager to execute the documents to transfer ownership of the Old Rockville Post Office from the Federal Government (General Services Administration) to the City of Rockville.
• The Mayor and Council approved the award of a P.O. modification to the Wheeler Goodman Masek design contract, in the amount of $199,400 (Schematic and Design Development Phases) at their November 3, 2008 meeting.
• The Mayor and Council approved the award of P.O. modification to Wheeler Goodman Masek design contract, in the amount of $131,925 (Construction Document Phase - Partial Set of 35%) at their May 18, 2009 meeting.

Public Notification and Engagement

• The Post Office/Police Station project has been included in City Projects on the website since March of 2006.
• City staff has presented updates on the project to the West End Citizens Association and other neighborhood associations annually for the past three years.
• The Mayor and Council have taken actions (described above) in public, televised meetings over the past three years.
• The project has been reported in Rockville Reports over the past three years.
• The Historic District Commission conducted a courtesy review of the project at their September 18, 2008 meeting, at which public testimony on the project was heard.
• On September 22, 2008, in General Session, the Mayor and Council authorized the City Manager to execute the documents to transfer ownership of the Old Rockville Post Office from the Federal Government (General Services Administration) to the City of Rockville.
• On October 20, 2008 a public ceremony was held at the Post Office to announce the transfer of ownership of the Post Office from the Federal Government to the City of Rockville.
• The Historic District Commission conducted a second courtesy review of proposed changes to the annex building and exterior designs for the Post Office at their April 16, 2009 meeting, at which public testimony on the project was heard.
• City staff and the WGM Consulting Team presented the project at the Pre-Application Area Meeting held on June 4, 2009, as required by the Zoning Ordinance.
• Regular updates have been provided to the West End Citizens Association, TCAT and other interested community groups on an ongoing basis.

Boards and Commissions Review
The Historic District Commission conducted a courtesy review of the project at their September 18, 2008, meeting. The HDC approved the massing, scale and size of the proposed addition to the Old Post Office, scale and size of the proposed annex building, and requested a number of specific design considerations for the project. At their April 16, 2009 meeting, the HDC conducted a second courtesy review of proposed changes to the annex building, plus responses to their earlier comments on Post Office exterior design details. The proposed designs were approved. The HDC will formally review the City's plans at a meeting in the future. The Recreation and Park Advisory Board has regularly reviewed progress on this project as part of their project review process.

Procurement Information
Wheeler Goodman Masek (WGM) has been under contract since November 2006 for the feasibility study and concept design of the Post Office/Police Station project. A request for a quote/proposal was requested of WGM under Master Contract #08-08 (Category A Architectural). WGM's proposal was received on September 18, 2009. NOTE: At the completion of the Construction Bid Document Phase, a proposal will be solicited from WGM for the Bidding, and Construction Administration phases. It is preferable to award the design contract in a series of phases, so that scope of work and the cost for each phase can be determined with maximum specificity.

At its October 22, 2007, meeting, the Mayor and Council awarded Master Contract #08-08 to various firms for architectural and engineering services in the aggregate amount not to exceed $1,000,000 through June 30, 2008 with the option to extend for four additional one-year periods. At the September 22, 2008 meeting, the Mayor and Council approved a modification to Master Contract #08-08, increasing the aggregate limit to $3,000,0000. All firms under Master Contract #08-08 have been renewed through June 30, 2010. Consistent with that contract award, any individual task that exceeds $100,000 is to be presented to the Mayor and Council for approval prior to the Purchasing Department issuing a Purchase Order.

Fiscal Impact
Sufficient funding is available in the Police Station project (420-900-4P01) in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget. Funding for this project is currently appropriated in the amount of $6,768,380. There is another $2,825,000 identified as unfunded in the project. The City has applied for $2.5 million in Federal grants to support the project. The City will learn of the status of this Federal funding in either the late fall of 2009 or early in 2010, depending on how the Federal budget approval goes. The City has received formal approval for Federal funding in the amount of $325,000 to support acquisition/installation of state-of-the-art communication for the new Police Headquarters. Operating costs for the new Police facility will add approximately $227,000 in annual costs to the City's operating budget.

Next Steps
Upon Mayor and Council approval, the Purchasing Division, which has already reviewed WGM's Quote/Proposal for compliance with Master Contract 08-08 (Category A), will create a Change Order to WGM's Purchase Order 0311080357 in the amount of $201,055 consistent with the pricing structure, terms and conditions of Master Contract 08-08 (Category A). WGM has committed to complete the work under this contract in 120 days after receipt of the purchase order.

Department Head:



Burt Hall, Director of Recreation and Parks
Approved on: 09/30/2009

Assistant City Manager:


Jenny Kimball, Assistant City Manager
Approved on: 10/01/2009

City Manager:

Scott Ullery, City Manager
Approved on: 10/01/2009