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<br />City of Sunny Isles Beach | RFQ 26-07-01
<br />Continuing Professional Architectural and Engineering | General Civil Engineer
<br />4.2 SUITABILITY OF METHODOLOGY – TASK-SPECIFIC APPROACH
<br />Ross tailors its methodology to the needs and risk level of each assignment. A small plan-review task is
<br />not burdened with the process required for a major roadway, drainage, utility, or pump-system project;
<br />conversely, a complex infrastructure assignment receives the investigation, modeling, interdisciplinary
<br />coordination, permitting strategy, constructability review, and quality control it requires. This scalability is
<br />what makes a single continuing-services methodology suitable across the full range of work the City may
<br />authorize.
<br />• SCOPE DEFINITION AND THE TASK-ORDER WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE
<br />At the beginning of each task order, Ross meets with the City’s Project Manager to confirm the
<br />purpose of the assignment, limits of work, required deliverables, available information, design and
<br />construction budgets, schedule milestones, permitting requirements, supporting disciplines, and
<br />the responsibilities of each participant. The discussion also addresses traffic, public access, utilities,
<br />resident and business impacts, City operations, funding requirements, and other conditions that
<br />influence project delivery.
<br />Ross then converts the confirmed scope into a task-specific Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), a task
<br />outline that lists every activity required to complete the assignment and assigns to each a responsible
<br />team member, an estimate of labor effort, any subconsultant participation, a deliverable, a review
<br />period, and a budget. The WBS is the single foundation from which both the fee budget (Section 4.5.1)
<br />and the project schedule (Section 4.5.2) are built and controlled, so that cost and schedule are always
<br />measured against the same defined units of work. Assumptions and exclusions are documented so
<br />the City and Ross begin each assignment with a common understanding of the work.
<br />• EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TECHNICAL EVALUATION
<br />Engineering decisions are based on verified information. Ross reviews available surveys, record
<br />drawings, GIS data, utility records, permits, inspection reports, prior studies, models, and maintenance
<br />information, then conducts site observations to confirm visible conditions and identify discrepancies
<br />between records and field conditions. Depending on the assignment, additional investigation may
<br />include topographic or route surveys, subsurface utility information, geotechnical testing, drainage-
<br />system inspections, rainfall and groundwater records, pump-performance data, fire-flow information,
<br />or hydrologic and hydraulic modeling. These needs would be coordinated by Ross, as appropriate.
<br />The City’s dense urban development, constrained rights-of-way, coastal influences, high groundwater,
<br />existing utilities, and active roadways make early field verification especially important. Identifying
<br />these conditions before design advances reduces the likelihood of utility conflicts, redesign, permitting
<br />delays, and construction changes. These are the same conditions that, left undiscovered, drive both
<br />cost overruns and schedule slippage.
<br />• ALTERNATIVES AND RECOMMENDATIONS
<br />Where an assignment involves a study or alternatives analysis, Ross will evaluate each option for
<br />technical performance, permitting feasibility, construction cost, constructability, compatibility with
<br />existing infrastructure, maintenance requirements, useful service life, public disruption, operating
<br />cost, resilience, and potential phasing. Major alternatives would be discussed with the City before a
<br />preferred solution is advanced, and recommendations are supported by appropriate calculations,
<br />drawings, cost information, and a clear explanation of the advantages, limitations, and risks of each
<br />option, allowing the City to make informed decisions before substantial design effort is incurred.
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