Agenda 02-06-24; 6-a - Approval of a Professional Services Contract with Thomas & Hutton Engineering to Provide Civil Design Services for a Greene Tract Master Plan and Approval of Budget Amendment #5-A

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3 Request For Qualifications (RFQ) Process of Evaluation In July 2023, Orange County issued a RFQ to identify a qualified consultant to provide Design Services for the Greene Tract Master Plan on behalf of Orange County and the two Towns. Six Statements of Qualifications were received and evaluated by the proposal review committee composed of Orange County, Town of Chapel Hill, and Town of Carrboro Planning staff. The committee evaluation was based on the following criteria: 1. Past performance of the lead consulting firm on similar planning projects of similar size and scope 2. Adequate and experienced staff and proposed team for the project 3. Current workload and firm capacity 4. Strategy for providing required services 5. Understanding of the area where the project is located and scope of services. Based on the evaluation process, the review committee requested proposals from and interviewed two of the firms, and unanimously recommends Thomas & Hutton Engineering Co. (T&H), for contract award. T&H is a respected and established multidisciplinary firm in the southeast, with 15 locations in Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and North Carolina, including the office in Research Triangle Park that houses the primary staff for this project. T&H merged with Coulter Jewell Thomas in 2022, bringing all principal staff featured in the proposal to T&H. The principal management staff for this project has done work in Orange County, the Town of Chapel Hill, and the Town of Carrboro, including the 2009 Rogers Road Small Area Plan for the Town of Chapel Hill, designing the Homestead Road Residential Community, and leading the engineering and design for the Morgan Creek Greenway Master Plan and Implementation Plans. Summary of Project Scope and Approach Orange County Planning staff negotiated the scope of services and budget with T&H, as reflected in the Letter Agreement of Services (Attachment 1). The T&H proposal is intended to assist Orange County, the Town of Carrboro, and the Town of Chapel Hill with civil design services to create a Greene Tract Master Plan. The intention of both the Greene Tract owners and T&H is to deliver a conceptual plan that can be utilized to define and directly inform a site plan for entitlement with the Town of Chapel Hill to develop the Greene Tract consistent with the terms established by the 2021 Interlocal Agreement including commitments to Public Engagement, Affordable and Mixed Income Housing and other uses, a School Site with Public Recreation, Connectivity, and a Development Agreement; and the 2021 Resolution that affirmed land use needs and goals to promote mixed-income housing opportunities; preserve environmental features; protect historical and cultural resources; promote cost-effective infrastructure; incorporate school and recreation sites; and earmark development areas for mixed income housing and mixed use potential. The design services project features four primary services: 1) Project Coordination and Management, including all data collection and collaboration with the Community Engagement consultant, Gensler; 2) Master Planning — Housing, Recreation and Community support/service center, including the preparation of an executive summary and two (2) "Conceptual Master Plans" for presentation and feedback, that shall feature: a. Residential uses (focus on affordable housing and mixed income housing);