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RESOLUTION NO. R-1213-79: A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, SELECTING COBB ENGINEERING COMPANY AS THE CITY OF NORMAN'S APPOINTED BRIDGE INSPECTION CONSULTANT TO THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE NATIONAL BRIDGE INSPECTION STANDARDS.
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BACKGROUND: The National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) require frequent inspection and verification of the load-carrying capacity of all publicly-owned bridges greater than 20 feet in length. The purposes of bridge inspections are:
to ensure public safety and confidence in bridge structural capacity
to protect public investment and allow efficient allocation of resources
to effectively schedule maintenance and rehabilitation operations
to provide a basis for decision-making regarding repair, maintenance, rehabilitation, or replacement
to ensure that federal funding will remain available for bridge-related work
While State Departments of Transportation are ultimately responsible for ensuring compliance with the National Bridge Inspection Standards, many states including Oklahoma, have partnered with local governments by delegating certain functions of this program to those local bridge owners. Some of these functions include:
providing assistance in ensuring that regular bridge inspections and load-carrying capacity verifications are performed for local bridges on a regular basis
maintaining a file for each local bridge containing load ratings, flood history, maintenance records and inspection reports
addressing any identified structural or safety-related deficiencies
DISCUSSION: There are 73 bridges in Norman that are qualified under this program. There are many more channel crossings and underground culvert systems that do not meet the 20-foot length requirements, for which the City is responsible to inspect and maintain under local standards.
In an October 4, 2012, letter, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) advised the Public Works Department of options to perform, or cause to have performed local government bridge inspections in compliance with the NBIS including the requirement that inspections must be performed by bridge inspection teams and program managers fully qualified as mandated by the NBIS.
The City has participated in this federally-mandated bridge inspection program for over 20 years. Staff supports the program because it provides excellent hands-on information that the City uses to program bridge maintenance activities.
ODOT provided a list of 13 consulting firms prequalified by ODOT to perform Local Government bridge safety inspections based on qualifications mandated by the NBIS along with the minimum consultant selection process requirements that must be followed. Rick Schlechter, Storm Water Engineer; John Clink, Capital Projects Manager; and Josh Malwick, Capital Projects Engineer, served as the consultant selection committee. The members of the consultant selection committee evaluated the Letters of Interest and Response Packets from all of the consultants, selected four of the 13 firms for interviews, and independently scored the respective consultants' responses to standard interview questions including those provided by ODOT. Cobb Engineering Company of Oklahoma City received the highest final composite score.
The next step in the process is to formally communicate to the ODOT Bridge Division by resolution of the City Council the City of Norman's consulting firm of choice to conduct routine bi-annual inspections of the 73 bridges owned, operated and maintained by the City during the period of April 2013, to April 2016. Following this three-year contract, the City will be asked by ODOT to undergo the consultant selection process again. Once ODOT has been notified of the consultant selected by the City, ODOT will contract with the consulting firm to perform the bridge inspections.
Once under contract, the consulting firm will coordinate bridge inspections and reporting needs with ODOT and Public Works Department staff. Reports containing the results of the consulting firm's field inspections and recommendations will be provided to ODOT and the Public Works Department. City staff will use their information to program and prioritize future maintenance needs of the 73 bridges in Norman.
Funding for the annual inspections is 100% Federal funding (20% of which is Federal funding allocated to ODOT, 80% of which is allocated to the City of Norman). The Federal funding will be arranged and administered by ODOT's Local Government Division.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of Resolution No. R-1213-79 designating Cobb Engineering Company, Oklahoma City as the City of Norman's consultant of choice to conduct annual inspections of City owned and operated bridges in the contract time period of April 2013, to April 2016.