|
CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
June 28th, 2004 | |
Author: |
Dale Bracewell | |
Phone No.: |
6440 | |
RTS No.: |
04312 | |
CC File No.: |
1805 | |
Meeting Date: |
July 6th, 2004 |
TO: |
Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic |
FROM: |
General Manager of Engineering Services |
SUBJECT: |
Award of Contract - Downtown Streetcar Market Research Study |
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council approve awarding the contract for undertaking market research for tourist and recreational usage on the Downtown Streetcar to Mustel Group, at an estimated cost of $60,000, including GST and disbursements; funding to be provided from existing Streets Capital reserved for Downtown Streetcar Project ($45,000) and from citywide Development Cost Levies ($15,000).
B. THAT the General Manager of Engineering Services be authorized to enter into a Professional Services Agreement contract with Mustel Group in consultation with the Director of Legal Services.
COUNCIL POLICY
Consultant contracts over $30,000 are to be approved by Council.
Council approved the Terms of Reference and undertaking of a market research study for the Downtown Streetcar on July 8th, 2003.
PURPOSE
This report seeks Council approval to award Mustel Group the contract to provide professional services for undertaking market research for tourist and recreational usage on the Downtown Streetcar.
BACKGROUND
The Downtown Streetcar initiative is a key element of the City's continuing transition to providing more sustainable transportation modes. The Downtown Streetcar will provide an attractive alternative for moving around downtown, especially for trips longer than a reasonable walking distance or where buses do not provide a convenient connection. Seamless connections to existing transit such as SkyTrain, SeaBus, West Coast Express, and regular trolley bus services will be provided with integrated fares, thereby enhancing the overall regional transit network.
Following completion of the Vancouver Downtown Streetcar Study (1999) and an extensive public consultation process, Council approved specific alignments and phasing for the streetcar system. It will link tourist destinations, significant employment centres in the downtown core, major residential developments and areas such as Southeast False Creek, Chinatown, and Gastown that are growing and in need of transit service. The Downtown Streetcar will also link existing transit nodes such as Waterfront Station, Main Street Station, and the Granville Mall corridor.
On July 8, 2003, Council approved proceeding with further work on planning for the Downtown Streetcar including applying for matching funds from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). This update on the Downtown Streetcar includes determining more accurate ridership estimates, both commuters and recreational users, as well as defining a more detailed layout plan for track location and operation.
DISCUSSION
A Request for Proposals (RFP) for a "Market Research Study for Tourist and Recreational Usage on the Downtown Streetcar" was issued on June 4th, 2004, to four market research proponents invited to participate. The services required by the contractor in the RFP include:
_ Survey a statistically reliable number of tourists and local residents on their likelihood of using the new Downtown Streetcar transit service as a visitor or for recreational use
_ Determine the sensitivity of the Downtown Streetcar fare structures and service levels
_ Estimate the annual tourist and recreational user ridership for the Downtown Streetcar
The study will be managed by Engineering Services with input from Current Planning and TransLink. TransLink staff will act in an advisory capacity on the streetcar project, supplying regional transportation information, attending brainstorming sessions, and reviewing draft documents. A report back to Council on the market research study findings is anticipated early next year as part of an overall update to the Downtown Streetcar.
While each of the four invited proponents expressed interest in the Downtown Streetcar market research study, only one proposal was received, by Mustel Group. An evaluation team made up of staff from Engineering Services, Current Planning, and TransLink assessed the proposal against the following criteria:
_ Company profile and experience of key personnel
_ Understanding of project requirements
_ Methodology and approach
_ Value added services & Price
Despite being the only proposal submitted, the evaluation team is confident that Mustel Group is capable of successfully completing the objectives and deliverables for this study. Mustel Group's proposal, in partnership with TSi Consultants, is an excellent submission that effectively combines market research with transportation forecasting expertise. Mustel Group and TSi have collaborated on numerous local transportation projects including travel demand studies for TransLink. Therefore, it is recommended that the contract for the "Market Research Study for Tourist and Recreational Usage on the Downtown Streetcar" be awarded to Mustel Group. TransLink staff concurs with the recommendations of this report.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The cost of the proposed market research study is estimated to be $60,000, the first of three components to the Downtown Streetcar project update. To fund these studies, a total of $120,000 was previously approved by Council from the GreenLinks account on July 8th, 2003. This report recommends using $45,000 of this funding for this market research study.
The original request for Downtown Streetcar funding was contingent on applying for federal cost sharing. To date, the City has not yet been approved by FCM for a Green Municipal Enabling Fund (GMEF) grant. However, the City has also now applied to Transport Canada for cost sharing through its Transportation Planning and Modal Integration Initiatives. In the event that either of these applications is approved, the amount of the grant would be allocated back into the GreenLinks account.
A certain portion of citywide Development Cost Levies (DCL's) are allocated to Engineering, which has earmarked a proportion for Downtown Streetcar project. The available DCL funding for Downtown Streetcar project is $37,000 and this report recommends using $15,000 for the market research study.
The following table summarizes the respective source of funds for the proposed market research study and the remaining components of the Downtown Streetcar project update.
Downtown Streetcar Project Update: Costs & Sources of Funding
Study Components |
Estimated Cost |
GreenLinks Funding
|
DCL Funding
|
|
(1) Market Research Study |
$60,000 |
$45,000 |
$15,000 |
|
(2) Transportation Model
|
TBD |
$75,000 |
$22,000 |
$120,000 |
$37,000 |
CONCLUSION
Staff recommend that Council approve awarding the contract for undertaking market research for tourist and recreational usage on the Downtown Streetcar to Mustel Group, at an estimated fee of $60,000, subject to the completion of a contract to the satisfaction to the Director of Legal Services
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