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Plan Check Service Agreements November 15, 2016 Page 2 turnaround times as well as provide greater flexibility for applicants wishing to take advantage of accelerated plan check. In the accelerated plan check process, the applicant submits the plans to the City along with a request for accelerated plan check. The applicant then pays the regular plan check fee as well as an accelerated fee which is based on the City's estimated number of hours required to check the plans. The plans are then sent to the consultant with a guaranteed turnaround time of 15 - working days. This process benefits the applicant by providing an option to expedite plan check for large, complicated and/or urgent projects. Sustained growth from the building industry combined with current turnaround times for regular (non -accelerated) plan check exceeding seven weeks has resulted in an increasing number of projects requesting accelerated plan check. Building activity has continued to increase in the past fiscal year with many projects choosing to accelerate the plan review process. Due to the number and size of the accelerated projects since 2014, including large projects such as 1901 East First Street, 301 Jeanette Lane, and The Heritage at 1951 East Dyer, contract funds have nearly expended. It is anticipated that building activity will remain at a high level and the renewal of these contracts would allow for the expedited customer services through plan check services that the building community is requesting. The Building Safety Division released a Request for Proposals on May 14, 2014 and received proposals from five firms. Based on a review of the qualifications, experience of personnel, demonstrated ability to meet the specified turnaround times and price, staff is recommending that the City enter into agreements with four out of the five structural plan check consultants. Scott Fazekas & Associates, Inc., CSG Consultants, Inc., Century Structural Engineering Co. Inc., and J Lee Engineering Inc. have contracted with the City for expedited plan check services in the past and were able to continually meet the City's requirements for availability of qualified engineering staff, turnaround time, locale, and fees. Each of these firms is well-known in the structural engineering field and have experience working with municipalities for on-call plan check services. The recommended firms offer both full and structural only plan check services at a competitive rate of 40 percent of the plan check fee calculated by the City and will process any required plan revisions and deferred submittals on a tiered rate system ranging from $85 to $100 per hour depending on the complexity level of the revision and plan check personnel assigned to the review. Accelerated plan check fees are paid entirely by the applicant. The number of available firms to send out accelerated plan checks will provide greater flexibility for the Building Safety Division to both ensure that plans are reviewed within the specified time frames, as well as route projects to firms that may specialize in a specific building type or construction method. 25E-2