TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, City Manager
FROM:
Ramzi Awwad, Public Works Director
Gilbert Gamboa, City Engineer
Pernilla Brandt, Project Manager Consultant
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of a Resolution Approving Amendment No. 4 to the Professional Services Agreement with DKS Associates, Inc. for $73,415 for Additional Engineering Support Services for the Manhattan Beach Advanced Traffic Signal System Project (Budgeted) (Public Works Director Awwad).
ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 26-0083
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 26-0083:
1. Approving Amendment No. 4 to the Professional Services Agreement with DKS Associates, Inc. (DKS) for $73,415 for additional construction engineering support services associated with the Manhattan Beach Advanced Traffic Signal System Project (MBATS Project); and
2. Authorizing the City Manager or designee to execute Amendment No. 4 and any related documents necessary to implement the amendment.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Amendment No. 4 authorizes an additional $73,415 for additional construction engineering support services, bringing the total not-to-exceed agreement amount to $1,636,447. City Council’s approval of Amendment No. 4 is required, as the total amount of the amended agreement will exceed the City Manager's signing authority. Funding for these services is available within the approved MBATS Project budget and is eligible for reimbursement through existing grant funding sources.
BACKGROUND:
The MBATS Project is an extension of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCOG) South Bay Fiber Network (SBFN) initiative, which establishes a fiber-optic broadband “ring” that delivers cost-effective, high-speed connectivity to municipal facilities across the South Bay. The SBFN will support transportation systems and public service networks.
Currently, traffic signals along Manhattan Beach’s main corridors rely on traditional technologies such as magnetic vehicle detection, video vehicle detection, and pre-set signal timing plans. These older systems limit the City’s ability to optimize signal operations and multi-block coordination, particularly during peak traffic hours. The MBATS Project will modernize this system by upgrading and interconnecting approximately 30 signalized intersections throughout the City through the installation of fiber optic communications infrastructure, traffic signal controller upgrades, intelligent transportation system equipment, and related traffic signal improvements.
On April 6, 2021, the City entered into a Professional Services Agreement with DKS to provide engineering design services for the MBATS Project. The original agreement established a maximum compensation amount of $1,283,417 and a term through June 30, 2023. Amendment No. 1 subsequently extended the agreement term through June 30, 2026. Amendment No. 2 increased compensation by $279,615 to provide engineering services during bidding and construction of the MBATS Project, including construction support, responses to Requests for Information (RFIs), submittal review, field coordination, startup and commissioning support, and preparation of as-built documentation. Amendment No. 3 subsequently extended the agreement term through June 30, 2027, to align with the anticipated construction schedule and completion of the MBATS Project.
On March 18, 2025, City Council approved the MBATS Project construction contract with Crosstown Electrical & Data, Inc. (Crosstown) for construction of the project. Construction is anticipated to continue through 2027 and requires ongoing design support from DKS, as the Engineer of Record, to address permit requirements, design clarifications, modifications due to field conditions, and contractor requests for information that arise during implementation.
DISCUSSION:
Following award of the construction contract to Crosstown, additional engineering support services have been identified that are necessary to facilitate project implementation and maintain the construction schedule. These services were not anticipated within the scope of previous amendments and are associated with permit acquisition, coordination with outside agencies, and design refinements identified during pre-construction activities.
As the Design Engineer of Record, DKS is uniquely qualified to support the contractor and City during these activities. The total cost for these additional services is estimated to be $73,415, including $54,070 for DKS and $19,345 for subconsultants. Approval of Amendment No. 4 will increase the total contract amount from $1,563,032 to $1,636,447 and will allow the consultant team to continue supporting construction activities, maintain project schedule objectives, secure required permits, and provide timely responses to design and construction-related issues.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
Public outreach meetings were conducted during the MBATS Project's design phase to inform the public of the project improvements and their benefit to the community and regional traffic circulation system. All public comments and recommendations regarding the system design and equipment details were considered, as appropriate, during the design phase.
As construction activities move forward, the City continues to conduct proactive outreach and coordination with the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce, local businesses, residents, homeowners, schools, and other community stakeholders that may be affected by construction activities. Communication efforts include project meetings, construction notifications, electronic mail updates, text notifications, direct stakeholder coordination, and ongoing communication regarding anticipated construction schedules, traffic impacts, and access considerations.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed Project and associated contracts for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). City staff has determined that the Project qualifies for a Class 1(c) categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) of the State CEQA Guidelines since the Project proposes to upgrade and connect the existing traffic signal controller equipment through a fiber optic backbone infrastructure, which is a negligible expansion of the existing use.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has approved the agreement as to form. The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution No. 26-0083
2. Amendment No. 4 - DKS Associates, Inc.
3. Agreement and Amendment Nos. 1 to 3 - DKS Associates, Inc.
4. Budget and Expenditures Summary
5. Location Map