[00:00:02]
ARE WE READY TO BEGIN? MM-HMM.
OH, I WE'RE WAITING FOR, UM, MEMBER TRILLIAN, SO WE HAVE QUORUM.
IS EVERYONE OKAY IF WE PROCEED? GOOD MORNING, MAYOR.
UM, I WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER TODAY'S MARCH 1ST, AND THE TIME IS 9:07 AM WE ARE AT THE ATTP BOARDROOM AT 2 0 3 COLORADO STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AS A REMINDER, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP PROVIDES BOTH AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE AND OTHER INTERPRETER SERVICES, AND WE REQUEST AT LEAST A 24 HOUR NOTICE FOR ASL AND OTHER INTERPRETER SERVICES.
IF YOU NEED THE SERVICES IN THE FUTURE, PLEASE CONTACT OUR BOARD LIAISON, CHLOE MAXWELL, AND YOU WILL FIND HER INFORMATION IN EACH AGENDA POSTING.
WE'RE ALSO JOINED TODAY VIRTUALLY BY BOARD MEMBER ELKINS.
UM, WHO'S GONNA JOIN US, UM, WHO'S HERE ON OUR SCREEN? GOOD MORNING BOARD MEMBER ELKINS.
UM, I BELIEVE WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY, BUT I DO WANT TO, UM, OFFER A WELCOME TO ROBERT.
HE'S OUR CITY SYNDROME ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER FROM MOBILITY, AND HE WAS RECENTLY DESIGNATED BY OUR CITY MANAGER TO SERVE AS ATP'S EXO OFFICIO BOARD MEMBER.
[2. Technical Advisory Committee Reports]
FOR THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORTS, UM, TO PROVIDE AS MUCH TIME FOR THE PRESENTATIONS THAT WE HAVE PREPARED FOR YOU TODAY, WE WILL NOT PRESENT THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORTS, HOWEVER, THE FULL REPORTS ARE UPLOADED AS THE BACKUP.I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY COLLEAGUES IF THEY HAVE ANY SPECIFIC COMMENTS TO ADD TO THAT MAY HAVE NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THE POST REPORT.
DOES ANY ONE OF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? NO, WAIT.
WE HAVE ALSO ORGANIZED OUR BOARD AGENDA WITH THE NOTED ACTION ITEMS THAT WILL BE TAKEN UP ON CONSENT.
AND THAT IS SUCH ACTION ITEMS THAT WILL BE OFFERED IN ONE VOTE AND HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED BY STAFF AS CONSENT ITEMS. THE BOARD HAS BEEN BRIEFED ON EACH OF THESE ITEMS AND RELATED BACKUP MATERIALS WERE PUBLISHED ONLINE SINCE LAST WEEK.
I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THE STAFF HAS REQUESTED A POSTPONEMENT FOR ACTION.
ITEM NUMBER THREE FOR THE BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES, THE VOTE ON ACTION ITEM NUMBER THREE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WILL BE VOTED TO POSTPONE FOR THE ITEM UNTIL MARCH 22ND.
STAFF HAS ALSO INDICATED DISCUSSION ITEM 6.1.
THE PLAN OF FINANCE WILL ALSO BE POSTPONED UNTIL THE MARCH 22ND MEETING.
SO PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE ARE ANY STAFF UPDATES TO THE DOCUMENTS.
AND BACKUP ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO HAS VERSION THREE OF THE PROCUREMENT POLICY AND ACTION ITEM NUMBER FIVE HAS A VERSION TWO OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RESOLUTION.
SO THAT'S THE PLAN FOR, FOR TODAY.
SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO NOW MOVE ON TO OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT CHAIR.
[1. Public Comment]
UHHUH, I THINK WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENTER IN THE AUDIENCE.WHERE DO I? YEAH, WELCOME MR. CONLEY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE, UH, I, I KNOW I ONLY HAVE A FEW MINUTES, SO I WON'T READ THE WHOLE THING, A LETTER THAT WAS ALREADY SENT TO THE BOARD BEFOREHAND, UM, FROM THE ATX MOBILITY COALITION.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO READ A SMALL PIECE OF IT AND PARTICULARLY HIGHLIGHT, UM, KIND OF THE MAIN MESSAGE OF THE LETTER, WHICH IS THAT, UM, TRANSPARENCY AND CLEAR PUBLIC PROCESS WITH TIME FOR MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT AS OUTLINED IN THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT, UM, IN ARTICLE 3.2 0.3, UM, IS, IS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PRIORITY FOR US, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE MONITORING THIS PROJECT VERY CLOSELY, THIS PROGRAM, THE ENTIRE PROGRAM VERY CLOSELY.
WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO EVERYTHING, AND IT MATTERS A LOT.
UM, I WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT TOOK PLACE ON ON JANUARY 30TH, UM, WHEN THE CAT METRO BOARD ANNOUNCED AFTER A CLOSE SESSION THAT THE DECISION WAS MADE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, HIM AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN REFERENCE TO, UH, MR. GREG CANALI, UM, YOU KNOW, IMPLIED TO SOME MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, UM, THAT THERE WAS, UH, EITHER A MISUNDERSTANDING, A VIOLATION, OR A BAD FAITH INTERPRETATION OF ARTICLE 4.2 0.2 OF THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT AND OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, UM, WHICH ESTABLISHED THAT THE BOARD WOULD ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY
[00:05:01]
ENGAGEMENT PROCESS FOR SUCH APPOINTMENTS, WHICH IS APPROPRIATE TO THE APPOINTMENT OF SENIOR LEADERSHIP.AND A SIMILAR TO THE PROCESS DESCRIBED ABOVE, WHICH WAS THE PROCESS THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY HAD ESTABLISHED TO DETERMINE THE INDEPENDENT GOVERNANCE MODEL.
UM, FURTHERMORE, I WANTED TO JUST RE REVIEW SOME OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT GUIDING PRINCIPLES BECAUSE I THINK THIS WILL BE IMPORTANT NOT ONLY FOR THE DECISIONS THAT THE BOARD IS MAKING HERE TODAY, UM, BUT FOR ALL OF THE DECISIONS, UH, MOVING FORWARD ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
IT SAYS, OPPORTUNITIES SHALL ALLOW TIME FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO REVIEW MATERIALS, PROVIDE INFORMED AND MEANINGFUL FEEDBACK, UNDERSTAND HOW FEEDBACK IS INCORPORATED BEFORE A DECISION IS MADE.
RESULTS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, INCLUDING RECOMMENDATIONS AND POLICY PROGRAM DECISIONS, WILL BE TRANSPARENTLY AND ACCOUNTABLY DOCUMENTED.
THE PROJECT CONNECT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE SHALL BE COMPREHENSIVELY CONSULTED AND INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS, INCLUDING BEING REGULARLY INFORMED IN ADVANCE OF PROJECT CONNECT RELATED EQUITY AND ANTI DISPLACEMENT ACTIONS BEING BROUGHT TO ANY OF THE PARTY'S POLICY MAKING BODIES IN A TIMELY MANNER SO THAT THEY CAN EFFECTIVELY ASSIST STAFF WITH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESSES AND PROVIDE A SPACE FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE PROGRAM.
ALL PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES SHALL BE HIGHLIGHTED ON A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE CALENDAR, AND SHARED THROUGH VARIOUS COMMUNICATION METHODS WITH CLEAR INFORMATION ON HOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN OBTAIN FURTHER INFORMATION.
SO, IF THE BOARD HAD INDEED MADE A DETERMINATION BEHIND CLOSED DOORS WITHOUT AN APPROPRIATE PROCESS, IT WOULD'VE BEEN A VIOLATION, I BELIEVE, OF THE CORE LEGAL AND PUBLIC COMMITMENTS MADE TO THE COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, UM, BOARD CHAIR CASTOR DE HAS SINCE CLARIFIED THIS POSITION WITH THE PRESS STATEMENT AND HAS ASSURED THE COMMUNITY THAT SUCH COMMITMENTS WOULD CONTINUE TO BE UPHELD.
UM, BUT I WANNA NOTE THAT THE DAMAGE TO SOME EXTENT WAS ALREADY DONE.
THE COMMUNITY WAS LED TO BELIEVE THAT THE BOARD SELECTED MR. CANAL AS A SOLE CANDIDATE WITHOUT A GOOD FAITH ATTEMPT AT UPHOLDING ITS JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.
AND THIS HAS SHAKEN PUBLIC TRUST IN THE BOARD OF THE TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AND HAS EXPOSED THE PROJECT TO RISK AT A CRUCIAL MOMENT IN WHICH BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD BE MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO BUILD AND PROTECT COMMUNITY TRUST.
FURTHERMORE, SUCH A DECISION WOULD BE IN DIRECT CONTRADICTION TO THE ENO CENTER ANALYSIS, WHICH RECOMMENDED THAT SHOULD ATP BOARD ADOPT A SEPARATE LEADERSHIP MODEL, IT SHOULD BE PREPARED TO SPEND CONSIDERABLE TIME RECRUITING A QUALIFIED EXECUTIVE.
UM, SO I, YOU KNOW, I NOTE THAT A LOT OF THIS HAS BEEN CLEARED UP.
WE'VE HAD EXTENSIVE COMMUNICATION AND DIALOGUE.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE, UM, AND, UH, SIMILARLY THE LACK OF PROCESS.
I WON'T READ THIS SECTION HERE, BUT THERE WAS A SIMILAR LACK OF APPROPRIATE PROCESS WITH REGARDS TO THE SELECTION FOR THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CAP METRO.
UM, THERE WAS NO, UH, TRANSPARENT PUBLIC POSTING OF THE CANDIDATES, AND TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, THERE WAS NO OPEN COMMUNITY MEETINGS WITH PUBLICLY POSTED AGENDAS.
THERE WAS NO MEANINGFUL STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING, UM, AGAIN WITH, UH, MR. DOTTY WATKINS, AND WE APPRECIATE THE EXPERIENCE SHE BRINGS TO THE LEADERSHIP OF, OF, OF CAP METRO, BUT THE PROCESS FOR THE SELECTION DID NOT LIVE UP TO THE PUBLIC COMMITMENTS MADE BY THE DIRECTORS OF CAP METRO EITHER.
SO I WANNA HIGHLIGHT BOTH OF THESE PROCESSES, UM, YOU KNOW, LACKED IN, IN THE KIND OF ENGAGEMENT AND TRANSPARENCY THAT WE AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE THREE, UM, REQUESTS FOR REQUESTS, AND THEN I WILL, UH, GIVE YOU GUYS BACK YOUR TIME.
BUT WE REQUEST THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS BECOME INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH THE COMMITMENTS IN THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT, AND PUBLICLY DEMONSTRATE A COMMITMENT TO UPHOLDING THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN THE JPA.
NEW BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD BE ASKED TO READ AND REVIEW THE ENO CENTER ANALYSIS AND BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE LANGUAGE OF ITS RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH ARE KEY TO DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING A HEALTHY PROGRAM.
WE PAID FOR THIS ANALYSIS, LET'S USE IT.
THE BOARD MUST WORK TO IMPROVE ITS COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC, AND MUST IMPROVE ITS COMMUNICATION WITH THE CAC AND OTHER ADVISORY BODIES ON THE PROJECT.
AND THE BOARD MUST STRIVE TO REPAIR TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGING THE HARM CAUSED, UM, BY THE APPARENT, UM, VIOLATION OF THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.
AS ALWAYS, WE MAKE OURSELVES AVAILABLE AS ALLIES AND WE STRIVE FOR A SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY PROJECT THANK YOU FROM THE ATX MOBILITY COALITION.
AND IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AT THIS TIME, IN CASE WE HAVE MISSED YOU.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO, UM, BOARD MEMBER ELKINS, YOU HAVE A COMMENT? YEAH, IF I COULD, I JUST HAVE A COMMENT FOR JB.
IF YOU REVIEW ATP'S WEBSITE AND OUR REPORTS TO THE PUBLIC, THREE VALUES ARE REPEATED OVER AND OVER, AND I'M GONNA READ VERY QUICKLY FROM THE 22 ANNUAL MANAGEMENT REPORT.
IT SAYS, THIS COLLABORATIVE REPORT BY PROJECT CONNECT PARENT EQUITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
[00:10:01]
AND IMPLEMENTING PROJECT CONNECT FOR THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN.I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE ATP BOARD THE BOARD HAD OVER 10 MONTHS TO CONDUCT A SEARCH AND PRESENT THREE QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FOR THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY TO CONSIDER.
THE FACT IS, WE DIDN'T EVEN HIRE A SEARCH FIRM.
THE PROCESS WAS MESSED UP THROUGH PROCUREMENT, AND WE KEPT THE COMMUNITY IN THE DARK.
UH, THE ED SEARCH COMMITTEE OF WHICH I WAS APART SAID WE WOULD LAUNCH A FORMAL SEARCH PROCESS AND HIRE A FIRM TO DO THAT SEARCH.
WE DIDN'T FAIL, WE FAILED TO DO IT.
SO WE NEED TO BE ACCOUNTABLE AS A BOARD AND OWN UP TO THE FACT THAT WE MESSED THE PROCESS UP.
WE WEREN'T TRANSPARENT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND IN FACT, I WAS PRETTY FRUSTRATED WITH THE PROCESS AND RESIGNED FROM THE SEARCH COMMITTEE ON NOVEMBER 12TH.
SO ON JANUARY 27TH, WE WERE TOLD AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE BY A SEARCH ADVISOR WOULD TAKE THREE TO FOUR MONTHS TO CONDUCT A SEARCH.
AND THE BOARD SAID WE WOULD APPOINT GREG AS THE SOLE CANDIDATE AND DO AN ABBREVIATED THREE WEEK COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PROCESS.
THAT BEING SAID, I VOTED TO SUPPORT GREG AND I STILL SUPPORT GREG TO BE OUR PERMANENT ED FOR TWO REASONS.
ONE, PROJECT CONNECT NEEDS STABILITY AT THE HELM, UH, AND THIS CRITICAL JUNCTION THAT WE'RE AT.
AND TWO, GREG IS VERY WELL QUALIFIED TO BE THE CANDIDATE.
I BELIEVE WE'VE LOST SOME TRUST, AS JP SAID, IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
LASTLY, I'M GOING FORWARD, STAFF AND OUR PARTNERS TO BE MUCH MORE TRANSPARENT ABOUT PROJECT CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
THIS MEANS SHARING NEGATIVE NEWS EARLY VERSUS TRYING TO DELAY OR, OR
ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT? THANK YOU.
MOVING ON, UM, IN SOME OF THESE, UH, COMMENTS FOR MR. ELKINS, I LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS, AND IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT WE DID HAVE A RECRUITMENT FIRM HIRED IN DECEMBER, AND THAT THIS RECRUITMENT FIRM, AIAN PUBLIC, HAS BEEN ADVISING US THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WHEN MR. ELKINS BOARD MEMBER ELKINS RESIGNED FROM THE SEARCH COMMITTEE WAS BECAUSE HE VOICED HIS CONCERNS THAT HE WAS BUSY WITH WORK COMMITMENTS, AND THE PROCUREMENT THAT WE LEAD LAUNCHED IN SEPTEMBER FOR THIS SEARCH WAS CANCELED BECAUSE THE ONLY RESPONDENT TO THAT SOLICITATION WAS AIAN PUBLIC.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO CONFUSION WHETHER OR NOT WE DID NOT HAVE A PROCESS ON THIS SEARCH.
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS NO CONFUSION ON THIS MATTER WHERE THIS BOARD WILL OWN UP TO ITS RESPONSIBILITY FOR CLARITY.
AND I AM FULLY COMMITTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS CLARITY IS NEVER MISINTERPRETED OR TAKEN OUTTA CONTEXT AGAIN, IS THAT WE DID HAVE THIS DECISION MADE IN THE AUTHORITY THAT THIS BOARD HAS TO MAKE SUCH APPOINTMENTS, AND WE DID SO HONORING OUR COMMITMENT TO THE J P A 4.2 0.2.
SO NOW, MADAM CHAIR, CHAIR, YES.
WE ARE GOING TO DO SO LATER ON THE AGENDA.
[3. Executive Director Report]
WILL NOW RECOGNIZE OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MR. CANALI, FOR A BRIEF REPORT.WELCOME EVERYONE TO ATP THIS MORNING.
WE HAVE A, A PACKED AGENDA, LOTS OF GREAT INFORMATION THAT WE WANT TO GET OUT ABOUT OUR PROGRESS ON PROJECT CONNECT, AND AS WE CONTINUE OUR READINESS.
AND WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO EACH MEETING IS TALK ABOUT, UH, WHAT'S HAPPENING INSIDE THE ORGANIZATION.
WE THINK THAT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS, FOLKS TO SEE, UM, WHAT IS HAPPENING INSIDE ATP, THIS NEW INDEPENDENT ENTITY THAT THE, UH, THE VOTERS ASKED FOR TO LEAD PROJECT CONNECT.
UM, WE'RE ONE OF THE BIG THINGS WE'RE DOING AS WE, AS WE BUILD OUR RESOURCES AND EXPERTISE INSIDE THE TEAM, UH, CONTINUING TO HIRE TALENTED STAFF, WE NOW HAVE ONBOARDED OUR HR MANAGER, DEBBIE GAS.
DEBBIE, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
UH, IT'S WONDERFUL TO HAVE YOU, UM, INCREDIBLY EXCITED AND HONORED TO, UH, WELCOME RANETTE MARWICK AS OUR NEW CFO OF AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP IN RANETTE.
IF YOU CAN JUST MAYBE GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF A WAVE, UH, TO EVERYONE, UM, IN HER PRE-RETIREMENT DAYS.
UH, RANETTE, UH, SPENT A FEW DAYS, UH, WORKING AT CAP METRO FOR A WHILE.
UH, SHE AND I WAS VERY LUCKY TO GET TO PARTNER WITH HER WHEN I WAS
[00:15:01]
THE CITY AT THE CITY AND FINANCE AS WE WORKED TOGETHER TO PUT TOGETHER, UM, THE PROJECT CONNECT VOTE, THE PLAN OF FINANCING, UM, AND EVERYTHING THAT UNDER, UNDER REALLY IS THE UNDER UNDERBELLY OF EVERYTHING WE HAVE HERE AT ATP.SO WE ARE INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE HER BACK, AND I THANK HER FOR JOINING US.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO UPDATE OUR BUSINESS SUPPORT SERVICES, MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN RUN MEETINGS SUCH AS THIS, UH, AND THE IMA UH, ALL THE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT MEETINGS THAT WE ARE ABOUT TO LAUNCH.
UM, SO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND AS WELL AS GETTING OUR IT STATUS, UH, IT WORK CONTINUED.
UM, ON THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, JUST REAL QUICK, WE ARE CONTINUING A NEW THING THAT WE STARTED, UM, THAT HAD NOT, UH, BEEN IN PLACE A, A MONTHLY UPDATE, A BOARD BRIEF FOR THE BOTH OUR BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY ABOUT ALL THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN PROJECT CONNECT.
THIS IS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE AND INCLUDES NOT ONLY PROGRAM UPDATES, BUT WHERE WE ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, AS WELL AS INSIDE THE ORGANIZATION.
AGAIN, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE ALSO SHEDDING LIGHT INSIDE US AND HOW WE ARE, UH, HOW WE ARE AS OUR OWN INTO OUR ORGANIZATION.
UM, SO THIS IS AN EVOLVING DOCUMENT.
WE, AND ONE DAY IT'S GONNA GET VERY LONG AS THE PROGRAM BUILDS AND BUILDS AND BUILDS.
SO WE HAVE CREATED A SINGLE PLACE WHERE WE CAN HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION INSTEAD OF DISPARATE PLACES.
AND THEN I WANT TO QUICKLY TURN IT OVER TO CASEY.
IS THAT THE NEXT SLIDE? OH, YEAH.
REAL QUICKLY ON OUR, UM, TO CASEY BURAK, OUR EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OVER BUSINESS AFFAIRS AND LEGAL SERVICES, UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF READINESS, UH, FOR AN ORGANIZATION AS WE ABOUT, AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND PROGRESS, UM, LIGHT RAIL AND PROJECT CONNECT FOR THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF ATP.
UM, PRIOR TO THE VOTE, THERE WAS, UM, IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, THERE WAS NO, UM, EXPERIENCE ON BUILDING LIGHT RAIL.
AND SO WE HAD TO BRING THAT ALL IN.
AND WE ARE RELYING ON TALENT THAT WE'VE BROUGHT AROUND FROM INSIDE AUSTIN, OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN, AS WELL AS, UM, EXPERTISE, UH, FROM A CONSULTING PERSPECTIVE, ONE OF THE AREAS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US IS OUR PROCUREMENT.
WE HAVE VERY LARGE, UM, PROCUREMENTS THAT ARE COMING OUT IN THE NEXT, UH, YEAR OR TWO, AND WE NEED TO BE READY FOR THOSE.
AND SO WE'RE DOING THE WORK TO BE READY IN CASE HE'S GONNA WALK US THROUGH SOME OF THOSE HIGH LEVEL EFFORTS ON OUR READINESS.
UM, SO USUALLY I'M ON THAT SET AT TABLE, BUT NOW
AND SO IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO, TO TAKE ON THAT MANTLE AND, AND HELP OUR, UM, CURRENT PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS INCREDIBLE AS IT STANDS, BUT SEE THE WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN IMPROVE OUR PROCESSES SO THAT WE ARE INCREDIBLY EFFICIENT AND ALSO REFLECTIVE OF, LIKE I SAID, THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF THIS ORGANIZATION, WHICH WE WILL ACTUALLY GET INTO AS WE ENTER THE, THE DELIVERY FRAMEWORK CONVERSATION LATER.
IT'LL, IT'LL ALL DOVETAIL, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THIS BOARD, UM, IS GOING TO BE HOPEFULLY APPROVING A, A NEW PROCUREMENT POLICY THAT THAT'S A KIND OF BETTER AND IMPROVED AND REFLECTIVE OF THE PROCUREMENT ASSESSMENT THAT WAS LED BY ERNST AND YOUNG.
UM, AND IT WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, AS QUICKLY AS WE COULD, WE DID A STUDY, UH, OR WE DID A SURVEY OF OUR VENDORS TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE PAIN POINTS, BUT ALSO THE SUCCESSES WE'VE HAD TO DATE FROM AS A NEW ORGANIZATION AND ALSO, UM, INTERVIEWED INTERNAL STAFF WHO'VE LED THESE CONTRACTS AND, AND HOW WE CAN IMPROVE.
AND WE'RE ALWAYS GONNA BE ASSESSING TO IMPROVE THE WAY THAT WE WORK, BUT LIKE YOU SAID, UM, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE READY TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING WITH THE, WITH THE CONTRACTS, UM, GOING FORWARD AND IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM.
SO, UM, SO THIS WAS THE PROCESS.
WE WENT THROUGH THE, THE CONSIDERATIONS NEXT SLIDE.
AND ESSENTIALLY, THIS IS JUST A HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RE RE RECEIVED, WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE.
SO INCREASING COLLABORATION, ENHANCING QUALITY AND QUALITY CONTROL, UM, MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE FLEXIBILITY, WHICH, WHICH IS REFLECTED NOW IN OUR, IN OUR PROCUREMENT POLICY BEFORE THE BOARD TODAY.
UM, THE FIRST PRINCIPLES, WHICH IS THE GOAL, THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM, THE GOALS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE, AND MAKING SURE THAT WHEN WE ENGAGE THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THAT WE, UM, THAT WE ARE, UH, WE HAVE THE, THE TERMS IN THOSE CONTRACTS THAT WILL ALLOW US TO BUILD THIS, THIS PROGRAM, REFLECTIVE OF THOSE PRINCIPLES.
WE ARE MANAGING SCHEDULE PROACTIVELY, AND WE HAVE, UM, A STRATEGIC PROCUREMENT LAYER, WHICH I BELIEVE WE'VE NOW, WE'VE NOW PUT IN PLACE WITH THIS, UM, ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE.
SO THE NEXT STEPS WILL ADOPT THE POLICY TODAY IS MY HOPE, AND WHICH REFLECTS THOSE ASSESSMENT RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND ALSO THE LOOK AHEAD, WHICH IS THE, UM, PROCUREMENT, UH, OR THE PROJECT DELIVERY FRAMEWORK THAT WE'RE LAYING OUT LATER TODAY AS A DISCUSSION ITEM.
UM, WE'LL, WE'LL SEE IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL OR CONTRACTING RESOURCES WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT THAT, UM, THAT, THAT DELIVERY STRATEGY
[00:20:01]
AND, UM, START IMPLEMENTINGOH, TECHNOLOGY
AND THEN WE'LL JUST ONE QUICK LAST, OH, ONE QUICK LAST ITEM.
I WANT TO OFFICIALLY WELCOME BRANDON CARR, ATP'S GENERAL COUNSEL TO THE DIAS, UM, IN HIS, UH, FIRST MEETING SITTING HERE WITH US, WE ARE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE BRANDON ON OUR TEAM.
HE BRINGS A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE.
UM, AND SO THANK YOU AND WELCOME.
UM, SO THE CONSENT ITEMS ONE THROUGH FOUR ARE RECOMMENDED ON CONSENT.
AGAIN, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT NUM ITEM NUMBER THREE WILL BE POSTPONED TO MARCH 22ND.
ARE THERE ANY ITEMS THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO PULL FOR DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
UM, UM, YES, I JUST HAD ONE QUICK QUESTION THAT, UM, THAT IS PROBABLY VERY GENERAL IF, AND, AND MAYBE IT'S ABOUT THE PROCUREMENT POLICY.
AND, AND I, AND I JUST WANT TO KNOW HOW, UH, THE DISPARITY STUDY, OR WHETHER THE INS D DISPARITY STUDY THAT, UM, WHETHER IT INFLUENCED OUR THINKING OR INFLUENCED THE PROCESS THAT WE PUT IN PLACE, INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THAT AND, AND, UH, AND HOW WE, HOW WE INCORPORATED THAT.
SO THE DISPARITY STUDY THAT CAP METRO CONDUCTED, AS WELL AS THE OTHER DISPARITY STUDIES WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND OTHER LOCATIONS ARE, UM, INFLUENCING HOW WE'RE BUILDING OUT THE D B E S B PROGRAM AND ALSO LOCAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES.
IT, IT IS PART OF WHAT CASEY'S LOOKING AT WITH THE POLICY ITSELF.
UM, AND AS WE BUILD OUT THE PRACTICES OF THAT PLAN, YOU'LL SEE IT MORE DIRECTLY.
I JUST WANTED TO HAVE THAT IN THE RECORD BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS, AS WE TALKED ABOUT THESE PROGRAMS AND, AND TALK TO THE PUBLIC, WE SAID THAT LOCAL BOND DOLLARS SHOULD, SHOULD PRODUCE LOCAL JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES TO PARTICIPATE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE INCORPORATING THOSE PRINCIPLES.
I, I DIDN'T SEE A PRINCIPLE THAT I DISAGREED WITH, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE ARE TAKING WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED AND TAKING WHAT WE KNOW FROM THE COURTS, HOW, UH, HOW THEY, THE TYPES OF DECISIONS THAT HAVE, HAVE BEEN MADE, UH, THAT INFLUENCE US IN SOME WAYS TO HAVE A LOCAL PURCHASING PROGRAM, UH, THAT INFLU INFLUENCE US TO LOOK AT SMALL BUSINESSES.
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS BEING INCORPORATED AS WE GO FORWARD.
AND WE ARE WATCHING THE CASE LAW AS IT PLAYS OUT IN REAL TIME, TO SEE HOW THAT'LL IMPACT OUR PROGRAMS AS WELL.
AND YOU, AND YOU WILL SEE THAT, WE'LL SEE THAT AS A GUIDING PRINCIPLE IN OUR DELIVERY FRAMEWORK DISCUSSION ITEM, WHICH IS KIND OF AT THE HEART OF THE POLICY.
I, I FELT LIKE I WAS ON FAMILY FEW THEN I HIT MY BUTTON TOO SLOW.
BUT THANK YOU FOR RAISING THAT.
SO IF I COULD PLEASE HAVE A MOTION AND
[4. Action Items]
A SECOND ON THE CONSENT ITEMS. MOVE MOVED BY MEMBER GARZA.EVERYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
UM, DO WE HAVE MEMBER ELKINS VOTING BOARD MEMBER, CAN YOU HEAR US? WE'RE VOTING ON THE CONSENT ITEM AGENDA.
DO YOU HAVE, UM, HOW DO YOU VOTE FOR MEMBER ELKINS? OR COULD YOU RAISE YOUR HAND IF IN FAVOR? I DON'T THINK HE CAN'T APPROVED.
SO WITH BOARD MEMBER ELKINS, VIRTUALLY VOTING ALSO YES.
[00:25:02]
GREAT.SO WE HAVE THE BOARD MEMBER ELKINS CASTING HIS VOTE AS APPROVED.
SO IT, THE THREE ITEMS, THE FOUR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA WITH ONE POSTPONEMENT HAVE BEEN APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
[5.1 Update by CapMetro on MetroRapid and MetroRail Projects]
NOW TO THE PARTNERSHIP REPORTS, AS WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST BOARD MEETING, THE ATP BOARD WILL HEAR UPDATES FROM OUR EXO PHYSIO BOARD MEMBERS ON ITEMS RELATED TO OUR PARTNERSHIPS.OUR CITY OF AUSTIN AND CAPITAL METRO DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVES OFFER THE BOARD EXPERTISE RELATED TO THE RESPECTIVE PROJECT CONNECT PROJECTS.
A RECOGNIZE BOARD MEMBER DOTTY WATKINS, WITH CAP METRO FOR THE CAP METRO PARTNERSHIP REPORT.
GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, WE ARE PLEASED TODAY TO PROVIDE SOME UPDATES ON THE, UM, TWO COMPONENTS OF THE PROGRAM THAT WE ARE DIRECTLY IMPLEMENTING, BOTH METRO RAPID AND METRO RAIL.
AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE UP OUR EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF PROJECT CONNECT INTEGRATION, MOLLY KING TO PROVIDE THE DETAILS.
AND GOOD MORNING CASTRO CHAIR, CASTRO DE PRESIDENT WATKINS AND BOARD MEMBERS.
TODAY I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE THIS UPDATE ON OUR CAP METRO AND LEAD AND PARTNER SUPPORTED METRO RAPID AND METRO RAIL PROJECTS.
WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES ON OUR PLEASANT VALLEY AND EXPO CENTER METRO RAPID LINES.
THERE ARE, THERE WERE TWO, SORRY.
THESE TWO LINES WERE PROMISED TO THE COMMUNITY WITH AN ALL ELECTRIC FLEET WITH SERVICE ANTICIPATED TO BEGIN, UM, IN 2025.
AND CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES, AND WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL BUSES DELIVERED SO FAR IN THE PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE.
UM, AS YOU'RE AWARE, THERE ARE TWO KEY PROJECT ENHANCEMENTS DRIVING THE CURRENT SCHEDULE.
UM, OUR CHARGING STRATEGY CHANGED, SO SWITCHING FROM CHARGING THE, OUR ELECTRIC BUSES AT THE CAP METRO DEPOTS NOW TO ALSO CHARGING AT THE END OF LINE WITH THE PARK AND RIDES.
THE SECOND PROJECT ENHANCEMENT IS AN EXPANDED STATION DESIGN WITH FEEDBACK.
UM, DURING THE DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS FROM THE CITY, WE'RE EXTENDING THE STATION LENGTH OF THE STATION PLATFORM AND THEN ALSO ENHANCING OUR BIKE PEDESTRIAN AND ADA CONNECTIONS.
UM, OUR CUSTOMERS BEGIN AND END THEIR JOURNEYS AS PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS.
AND SO OVERALL, WE AGREE THAT THIS IS A BETTER PROJECT AS A RESULT, AND WE WELCOME THAT INPUT.
YOU SHOULD HAVE ALSO RECEIVED AN INVITATION FOR A CELEBRATION WITH CAT METRO AND FTA ON MARCH 11TH, AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE ON TEME RAIL WITH SOME EXCITING NEWS.
WE HAVE COMPLETED THE FIRST PROJECT CONNECT PROJECT DOUBLE TRACKING BETWEEN LAKELINE AND LEANDER.
THIS PROJECT IMPROVES OUR OPERATIONAL FLEXIBILITY AND RESILIENCY, ALLOWING US TO BETTER SERVE OUR CUSTOMERS, WHICH IS KEY WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING RAIL, AS MY COLLEAGUES KNOW ALL TOO WELL.
AND THANK YOU CHAIR FOR JOINING US FOR THIS CELEBRATION.
IT WAS CHILLY, BUT IT'S GREAT AND WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE THAT PROJECT AND SERVICE NOW.
UM, SO ONTO MCCULLOUGH STATION CONSTRUCTION IS CURRENTLY ON TIME AND ON BUDGET, UM, AND WE ARE ANTICIPATED TO BE READY FOR THE AUSTIN FC 2024 SEASON.
UM, AND ON FEBRUARY 22ND, WE HOSTED A CONSTRUCTION TOUR FOR SOME AUSTIN FC LEADERSHIP, AS WELL AS SOME CAP METRO BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE ALSO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO WE APPRECIATE THEM TAKING THE TIME TO COME OUT AND SEE OUR PROGRESS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES MY UPDATE.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? NO QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD.
UM, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, SO THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING.
UM, THE SCHEDULE IMPACTS ON METRO RAPID.
ONE THING THAT I LIKE TO ENCOURAGE IS FOR US TO WORK REALLY WELL TOGETHER WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND, AND THE PERMITTING ASPECTS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN, UM, EITHER MISSED OR, YOU KNOW, COURSE CORRECT ON TIME SO THAT WE CAN DELIVER HOPEFULLY OUR, OUR PROMISES.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, AND, AND THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING THE MEETING THAT WE HAD WITH THE TRANSPORTATION AND URBAN PLANNING COMMITTEE IN MUELLER, BECAUSE BOTH OF THOSE LINES, THE METRO RAPID LINES CONVERGE IN MUELLER.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE THERE THAT REALLY CARES DEEPLY ABOUT, ABOUT THAT SERVICE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT RESONATED, OR WHAT I HEARD IN THAT MEETING IS THAT NOT ONLY ARE THEY REALLY IMPACTED BY THE, BY THE DELAYS ON METRO RAPID, BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT THE CURRENT SERVICE, IT'S REALLY DIMINISHED AND THE FREQUENCY OF THE SERVICE AND THEY'RE HAVING IMPACTS ON IT.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT AS PARTNERS, THAT WE ELEVATE OUR, OUR CONCERNS FOR THE PUBLIC, THAT OF THE, THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE VOICED.
[00:30:01]
ANY OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS? NO.UH, MOLLY, JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
YOU CAME TO THE MEETING AND TOLD EVERYBODY THAT WE'RE PROUD OF THE CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS, EXCITING PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE, AND NOW WE HEAR SEVERAL WEEKS LATER, MONTH AND A HALF LATER, THAT WE'RE 18 MONTHS BEHIND.
SO THE, THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS NOT TO POINT FINGERS OR WHATEVER.
I WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE SO THAT IF THERE ARE DELAYS IN THE FUTURE, THAT WE'RE WELL AWARE OF THOSE EARLY IN THE PROCESS SO THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT, UH, CHANGES TO DAMAGE SCHEDULE AND COST OVERRUN.
SO I'D JUST LIKE TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN GO TO THE TRI-PARTY AND AT THE END OF NOVEMBER, SAY EVERYTHING'S FINE, AND THEN FOUR WEEKS LATER, EVERYTHING'S NOT FINE.
UM, BOARD MEMBER ELKINS, I WOULD SAY THAT IN NOVEMBER WE WERE MAKING GREAT PROGRESS ON CONSTRUCTION AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROGRESS.
WE WERE ALSO AT THAT TIME STILL FIGURING OUT WHAT OUR SCHEDULE WAS GOING TO BE AND WORKING CLOSELY WITH ALL OF THE PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD TAKEN ALL OF THESE SOMEWHAT CASCADING, UM, YOU KNOW, DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS, SORT OF CHANGES TO THE PROGRAM AND UNDERSTANDING THEM HOLISTICALLY.
UM, WE DID NOT HAVE A DATE THAT WE WERE ALL COMFORTABLE WITH YET, UM, WHEN WE HAD THE TRI-PARTY MEETING IN NOVEMBER, AND IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO US THAT WE NOT TALK PUBLICLY ABOUT A DATE UNTIL ALL THREE PARTNERS IN THE TRI-PARTY COULD SAY, YES, THIS IS A DATE WE CAN LIVE WITH.
UM, WE LANDED ON THAT DATE, UM, EARLY THIS CALENDAR YEAR AND, AND BEGIN PROVIDING THAT UPDATE.
WE DO TAKE THE CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK THAT SOME OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS, BOTH ATP CAP METRO AND SOME CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, WERE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT THESE CHANGES WERE AFOOT AND THAT THESE THINGS WERE HAPPENING AND ARE COMMITTED TO, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS IMPROVING OUR COMMUNICATIONS SO THAT FOLKS AREN'T SURPRISED WHEN THINGS ARE HAPPENING.
I MEAN, THIS GETS BACK TO MY THEME OF TRANSPARENCY.
WE NEED TO MANAGE THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE MAY NOT HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT IT WAS EXACTLY 18 MONTHS, BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MANAGE EXPECTATIONS SO WE'RE NOT BLINDSIDED AND, AND THERE IS A REAL COST TO THE COMMUNITY OF NOT HAVING THAT SERVICE, UH, ON BOARD FOR ANOTHER 18 MONTHS.
WE OFF, WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT COST THE ECONOMIC, THE, THE, BASICALLY THE SOCIETAL COST OF, OF DELAYED INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS ABOUT POTENTIAL COST OVERRUN.
SO, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THERE'LL BE POTENTIAL COST OVERRUNS.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT UNDER THE I L A BETWEEN ATP AND CAT METRO, ANY COST OVERRUNS ASSOCIATED WITH THE METRO RAPID WOULD NOT BE ABSORBED BY ATP.
IS THAT A CORRECT ASSUMPTION? THAT IS NOT MY UNDERSTANDING.
THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT ITSELF WILL NEED TO BE AMENDED IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT NEED TO BE COVERED.
BUT WE HAVE NOT QUITE GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE THE LEVEL OF DETAIL WHERE WE, UM, ARE READY TO BRING AN AMENDED IN OUR LOCAL AGREEMENT.
IT WOULD NEED TO BE APPROVED BY BOTH THE ATP BOARD AND THE CAT METRO BOARD IF WE DETERMINE THAT CHANGES ARE NEEDED.
YEAH, I I THINK IT WOULD BE HARD FOR THIS FOR AT LEAST NEED TO APPROVE A COST OVERRUN FOR A PROJECT THAT WE HAD NO CONTROL IN DELIVERING THAT WE'RE FUNDING.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE'LL WAIT FOR THAT TO COME TO THE BOARD, BUT, BUT I DO THINK THAT THAT SHOULD NOT BE A, AN ATP COST OVERRUN THAT WE SHOULD HAVE TO ABSORB PICKED UP.
AND RESPECTFULLY, I WILL CALL OUT THAT ATP'S BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT FROM THE GET-GO, BUT, UM, IF WE GET TO THE POINT OF NEEDING TO DISCUSS THAT FURTHER AS WE AMEND IN OUR LOCAL AGREEMENTS, WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE DETAILS.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION? NO, THANK YOU, MOLLY.
[5.2 Update by City of Austin on Improved Processes for Project Connect]
LIKE ACKNOWLEDGE BOARD MEMBER RUBBER GOOD WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO SHARE UPDATES.TH THIS IS A VERY TIME TIMELY PRESENTATION CUZ WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT OUR PERMITTING AND UTILITY, UH, RELOCATION PROCESS.
AND AS YOU ALL ARE WELL AWARE, THOSE ARE TWO ITEMS THAT CAN VERY MUCH DELAY SCHEDULES AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND NICK'S GONNA COME UP AND TELL YOU AN UPDATE.
WE'RE GONNA UPDATE YOU FREQUENTLY ON THIS.
I'LL TELL YOU WE'VE MADE PROGRESS, BUT WE'RE NOT THERE YET.
THERE'S LOTS OF THE EFFICIENCIES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT INTERNALLY, NOT ONLY FOR TRANSIT PROJECTS, BUT JUST FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS IN GENERAL.
SO ANN'S GONNA GIVE YOU AN UPDATE AND, AND JUST A REMINDER, IT IS A WORK IN PROGRESS.
WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF ROOM, A LOT OF ROOM OF FOR IMPROVEMENT TO GO IN THE CITY.
SO ANIQUE, TELL US WHERE WE'RE AT.
UM, AND GOOD MORNING CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS.
ANIQUE BODAY MOBILITY OFFICER FOR PROJECT CONNECT, REPRESENTING THE CITY'S SIDE OF THE TRIAG AGENCY PARTNERSHIP.
SO I'D LIKE TO FOCUS OR HIGHLIGHT THREE CITY READINESS EFFORTS, UM, THAT WE, THE PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE HAS BEEN
[00:35:01]
LEADING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CAPITAL METRO AND ATP, UM, REALLY OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, STARTING WITH THE PROJECT CONNECT ORDINANCE.AND I WANNA STRESS THAT, THAT THIS ORDINANCE IS A DYNAMIC DOCUMENT AND I SEE IT AS OWNED BY ALL THREE AGENCIES.
UM, AND WHAT IT DOES IS THAT, UM, IN OCTOBER, 2021, UM, AT A TRIAG AGENCY MEETING, THE CITY COUNCIL THEN, UH, PASSED A RESOLUTION OR PASSED AN ORDINANCE, UM, ASKING THE CITY TO LOOK AT READINESS, LOOK AT PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS FROM CODE AMENDMENTS TO CRITERIA AMENDMENTS, UM, TO PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS THAT CAN HELP US GET AHEAD OF WHAT WAS IN STORE FOR PERMITTING.
ALL OF THE, THE PORTFOLIO OF PROJECTS WITHIN PROJECT CONNECT, THIS ORDINANCE THAT THEY PASSED, WHICH WAS SUPPORTED, UM, BY RESOLUTIONS, FOLLOWED, UH, FOLLOWED IN SUPPORT BY RESOLUTIONS BY THE CAMP METRO BOARD AND ATTP BOARD WAS INSPIRED BY THE ENO REPORT.
WE'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT THE ENO REPORT LATELY AND BEST PRACTICES.
AND SO THIS WAS US JUST COMING OUT THE GATE RUNNING, UM, WITH WHAT WE, WHAT CAN WE DO SO THE CITY WON'T GET IN ITS OWN WAY.
WITH REGARDS TO PROJECT CONNECT, HAPPY TO SAY WE DELIVERED, UM, ON COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY PASSED IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR.
AN ORDINANCE THAT I WILL SAY CHANGES THINGS IN CODE FOR WHAT WE KNEW AT THE TIME.
WE DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW YET, BUT WHAT WE DID KNOW, WE SPENT AN EXHAUSTIVE AMOUNT OF TIME INTERVIEWING A LOT OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY SAYING, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GONNA GET IN THE WAY? UM, TALKING TO INDUSTRY, TALKING TO OUR PARTNERS AND WHAT YOU SEE, I WON'T READ IT, BUT THE, THE ORDINANCE, UM, IS ONLINE AND WE DID MAKE THE CHANGES THAT WE THOUGHT NEEDED TO, THAT WE COULD MAKE AT THE TIME.
UM, WE ARE STARTING A COMMITTEE, UH, SOON THAT IS GONNA CONTINUE TO LOOK AT WHAT, WHAT NEW CHANGES MIGHT BE ADDED AND ASKED TO BE AMENDED TO THE ORDINANCE BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW WE KNOW MORE NOW THAN WE DID TWO YEARS AGO, AND IT WILL CONTINUE.
UM, THE SECOND THING, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE, IS, UM, CITY PERMITTING PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS.
SO BOARD MEMBER GOOD, UH, POINTED OUT THAT WE ARE MAKING CHANGES AT THE CITY FOR PUBLIC PROJECTS GENERALLY.
WE RECOGNIZE, UM, WE HAVE PROBABLY MORE INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC PROJECTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAN WE'VE EVER HAD IN THE CITY'S HISTORY.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT B BILLION, THE AIRPORT EXPANSION, YOU LOOK AT PROJECT CONNECT, UM, WE REALLY NEED TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY FOR DIFFERENT RESULTS.
BUSINESS AS USUAL IS NOT GOING TO, IS NOT GOING TO CUT IT.
AND SO THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION, I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR OVER TWO DECADES.
THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION OF THIS NEW CHECKOUT LANE FOR PUBLIC PROJECTS IF YOU, IF, IF, IF YOU SO WILL.
AND THE PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE HAS BEEN HELPING D S D REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR PROCESSES MIGHT AND SHOULD LOOK LIKE BASED ON OUR INTERVIEWS AND, AND WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH THE INDUSTRY AND WITH OTHER, UM, DELIVERY AGENCIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
LEARNING FROM THAT AND LEARNING WHAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT WITHIN THE CITY, UM, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
SO, UM, THE BIGGEST CHANGE IS A COLLAB, IT'S COLLABORATIVE GUIDANCE EARLY ON.
SO THAT THE GOAL IS, AND THE VISION, AND I WILL SAY THIS ON BEHALF OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, THE VISION IS TO GET PUBLIC PROJECTS IN AND OUT IN ONE CYCLE OF COMMENTS.
AND I MAKE A JOKE THAT WHEN THAT HAPPENS, I'M RETIRING SOON, AS SOON AS ONE, SOON AS ONE PUBLIC PROJECT GETS OUT IN ONE ROUND OF COMMENTS.
UM, WE'RE VERY INVOLVED WITH THAT AND THEY HAVE BEEN, UM, TESTING THE WATERS WITH PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
ALSO A VERY IMPORTANT INITIATIVE TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN WITH GREAT SUCCESS.
SO I AM, I'M VERY INSPIRED, UM, AS WE ALL SHOULD BE ABOUT THIS NEW PROCESS IMPROVEMENT.
AND THEN LASTLY, THE THIRD THING WE'VE DONE, WHICH UH, BOARD MEMBER GOOD ALLUDED TO IS UTILITIES PERMITTING.
AND UTILITIES IS REALLY THE HEART OF WHAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN BRINGS TO THIS PARTNERSHIP.
A LOT OF THIS WORK IS, ESPECIALLY THE LIGHT RAIL, IS IN OUR, IN OUR RIGHT OF WAY.
UM, AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO RELOCATE AND HOPEFULLY IMPROVE A LOT OF IN UTILITIES ALONG THE WAY AS WE DO THIS CONSTRUCTION.
SO WHAT WE'VE PUT IN PLACE AS OF A MONTH AGO IS CALLED, UH, WE CALL IT THE EUROPE UTILITY RULES OF PRACTICE.
AND IT IS THE FIRST STEP IN GETTING AHEAD, UM, OF ALL THE WORK THAT'S GOING TO NEED TO BE DONE WITH REGARDS TO UTILITIES TO MAKE WAY FOR THIS, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT.
SO IT DEFINES A METHODOLOGY, IT, IT, IT LEVEL SETS LANGUAGE BETWEEN THE UTILITIES ON HOW WE TALK ABOUT, UM, UTILITY REVIEW ZONES AND A LOT OF TECHNICAL INFORMATION.
UM, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT IT IS THE FIRST STEP, UH, IN GETTING US IN, IN THE READINESS PART FOR, FOR UTILITIES AND THE FACT THAT WE HAD THE THREE UTILITY DEPARTMENTS, WATER, ENERGY,
[00:40:01]
AND WATERSHED, AS WELL AS DEEPLY IMPACTED, UM, DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS PUBLIC WORKS, UM, ALL COME TOGETHER, REVIEW AND SIGN OFF ON THIS IS THE WAY WE ARE ALL GONNA COME TOGETHER AS A CITY AND WORK ON THE UTILITIES, UM, IS A HUGE STEP IN, IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.AND SO WITH THAT, I WILL TAKE QUESTIONS.
UM, AND I'M REALLY, UH, PROUD OF THE CITY'S WORK IN, IN HELPING US, UM, WITH READINESS FOR THE, THE PORTFOLIO PROJECTS AHEAD OF US.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD MEMBER OF GARZA? COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
ONE, UH, GAS UTILITIES, THEY'RE NOT THE CITIES, SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM.
WE NEED TO WORK WITH PRIVATE UTILITIES AS WELL.
AND THAT IS ONE OF OUR NEXT STEPS.
BUT THIS, THIS DOCUMENT, IT, IT DOES APPLY TO PRIVATE IN THAT IT DEFINES THE ZONES WHERE WE NEED TO BE CLEAR OF UTILITIES.
UH, BUT ENGAGING WITH THE PRIVATE UTILITIES IS ONE OF THE NEXT STEPS.
AND SECONDLY, IN CASE I MISSED IT, UM, WHEN WE, WHEN WE FINALIZE A PLAN, WHATEVER'S DONE BASICALLY READY TO BE, UH, BID OR WHATEVER, UM, WHEN WE HAVE ALL THE APPROVALS FROM THE CITY AT THAT POINT AS WELL AS AS FAR AS UTILITY RELOCATION ASSIGNMENTS AND LOCATIONS, PERMITS ARE REQUIRED WHEN WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH THE DESIGN PHASE AT THE END OF THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT.
UM, I JUST, I GUESS I'M TRYING TO ENVISION SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T IT DIDN'T DO.
I MEAN, IDEALLY AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PHASE, PART OF THE DESIGN PROCESS IS THE UTILITY DESIGN IS WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH UTILITY.
SO THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS YES, AS WE PROGRESS, WE WILL BE DESIGNING THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE RAIL, AS WELL AS WHERE THE UTILITIES NEED TO GO AND WHAT IMPROVEMENT AND, AND WHAT WHAT WE CALL BETTERMENTS MIGHT HAPPEN AS WELL.
AND I'M NOT BEING, UM, I USED TO RUN OFF SOME ENERGY OR THEY END THE UNDERSTOOD DRINK.
AND WE KNOW YOU TILT IS REALLY, PEOPLE CARE ABOUT MAKING SURE THINGS WORK RIGHT.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR OTHER COMMENTS? UH, I DO HAVE A, UM, OKAY.
JUST, UM, IF I PUT ONE COMMENT HERE, MEMBER ELKINS.
UH, WE'VE HEARD FROM OUR, UH, TWO CITY PARTNERS, WHICH IS GREAT.
UM, I, I'D LIKE TO MAKE ANIQUE MAY REFERENCE TO THE ENNO REPORT AND FOR OVER A YEAR I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE ENNO REPORT.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S NOT RESONATING.
THE ENNO REPORT KEEPS TALKING OVER AND OVER ABOUT UNCLEAR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES WITH PROJECT CONNECT.
I'M GONNA QUOTE FROM THE CACS LETTER THAT, UM, EVAS THE CHAIR WROTE, AND EVEN THE CAC ACKNOWLEDGES IT.
HE STATES IN HERE, WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE IN A JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT TO FURTHER DELINEATE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR EACH PARTY IN A MANNER THAT LEADS TO A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT CONNECT AND FURTHER DETAILS A T P AS THE PRINCIPAL ENTITY RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE PROJECT IN AN INDEPENDENT MANNER.
PLEASE READ THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS BOARD AND OUR TWO PARTNERS WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO FURTHER CLARIFY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF ALL PARTIES.
UM, I'M EXCITED TO SEE ANIQUE THAT THE UTILITY RULES OF PRACTICE.
I KNOW THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE ELEMENTS THAT WAS LEFT PENDING WHEN WE WERE DOING THE JPA BECAUSE IT WAS GONNA BE A REALLY ROBUST DOCUMENT.
SO I'M, I'M EXCITED TO SEE THAT THAT'S HAPPENING SO THAT THERE'S AN ADVANCEMENT ON THAT BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE BEEN, UH, WAITING FOR THAT PIECE SPECIFICALLY AND IN SUPPORT OF NOT ONLY THE REPORT, BUT THE FACT THAT THIS IS THE WORK, RIGHT? THAT WAS, THAT WAS REALLY PENDING, UM, THAT WAS MISSING COMPLETELY FROM THE JPA AND IT WAS MISSING BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT THERE WAS GONNA BE, IT NEEDED TO BE INTENTIONAL AND IT, IT WAS ROBUST.
SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE THAT THAT IS ADVANCING.
UM, AND, UM, WITH THE RULES, UH, THE, THE RESPONSIBILITIES ASSIGNED TO THOSE BETTERMENTS, I THINK PART OF THE CLARITY THAT THE BOARD COULD BENEFIT AND THE CITY AS AHO COULD BENEFIT IS WHO PAYS FOR THOSE BETTERMENTS? I THINK THAT'S AN OVERARCHING QUESTION, AND IT'S THAT PART OF THE COST ANALYSIS THAT WE HAVE HAD IN THE PAST WITH THE RELOCATION OF UTILITIES.
I KNOW THAT UPSIZING SO THAT OUR CORRIDORS CAN THEN BE DENSIFIED HAS BEEN
[00:45:01]
A, A DESIRE OF THIS COMMUNITY OF, SO WHO PAYS FOR THAT SIZE, YOU KNOW, UPSIZING FOR INSTANCE.AND I WANT US TO BE VERY, UH, HONEST WITH OURSELVES IN THE LESSONS LEARNED AND HOW WE'RE DEPLOYING METRO RAPID, BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE FOR THE LESSONS LEARNED OF WHAT YOU ALL ARE HAVING TO DEAL WITH IN THIS, UH, INAUGURAL PROJECTS.
LET'S HAVE A LESSONS LEARNED, RIGHT? AND HOW WE CAN DO BETTER.
BECAUSE WHAT WE LEARNED FROM YOU IN THIS DEPLOYMENT WILL ALSO GUIDE HOW WE EMPLOY, YOU KNOW, DEPLOY, UM, THE METRO, THE, THE LIGHT RAIL LINES THAT ARE MUCH MORE COMPLEX, BUT IT STARTS WITH THOSE COLLABORATIONS.
SO I REALLY COMMEND YOU ALL FOR HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND FILLING IN THAT BIG BLANK THAT WAS MISSING.
OUR BIG NEXT STEP IN THE PROCESS IS IDENTIFYING, IDENTIFYING BETTERMENTS, IDENTIFYING, UM, FUNDING SOURCES, I IDENTIFYING IDENTIFYING FAIR, REASONABLE APPROACHES TO HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT.
AND THAT IS ABSOLUTELY THE NEXT STEP.
AND I WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO JEN GOK IN MY GROUP, WHO'S A DEPUTY OFFICER WHO REALLY SHEPHERDED THE, THE EUROPE, UM, AND DID, UH, A LOT OF HEAVY HOURS WITH OUR, UM, SISTER DEPARTMENTS AT THE CITY.
AND SO I WANT TO GIVE HER CREDIT FOR THAT.
[6.2 Briefing on Light Rail Delivery and Contracting Framework]
DISCUSSION ITEM BEGINS WITH A BRIEFING ON THE LIGHT RAIL PROJECT DELIVERY FRAMEWORK.WE HAVE SEVERAL STAFF REPRESENTATIVES WITH US TODAY, AS WELL AS A REPRESENTATIVE FROM ERNST AND YOUNG, AND I'LL LET THE PARTNERS INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
UM, AS NICOLE'S ON HER, OKAY, SHE STEPPED OUT, SHE'S ON HER WAY UP.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY INTRODUCE THIS TOPIC BEFORE CASEY AND LINDSAY AND MANAN AND NICOLE KIND OF TAKE US ON A DEEP DIVE.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, THE WORK AT HAND THAT WE STARTED LAST MAY, UM, ON, ON, ON TRANSPARENTLY DEALING WITH, UH, HOW WE'RE ADVANCING LIGHT RAIL FOR AUSTIN.
UH, THE VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED MOVING FORWARD ON THIS, AND THAT IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.
BUT WE NEEDED TO BE RIGOROUS AND THOUGHTFUL, UH, UH, ABOUT HOW WE NOT ONLY ADVANCE THE PROJECT, BUT HOW WE'RE GONNA BE READY TO DO THE PROJECT.
UM, YOU AS A BOARD WERE CREATED TO OVERSEE AND IMPLEMENT THE PROJECT, UM, BEFORE YOU IN THESE UPCOMING YEARS WILL BE CONTRACTS BIG AND SMALL THAT ARE GONNA ADVANCE THE WILL OF THE VOTERS.
UM, SO IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US AS AN ORGANIZATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE READY FOR THAT AND TO BE READY FOR THAT.
WE HAVE TO RELY ON EXPERTISE THAT WE HAVE ON OUR STAFF AND OUR EXPERTISE, UM, WITH OUR, WITH OUR CONSULTANTS.
IN NOVEMBER, WE STARTED TALKING TO YOU ABOUT A BOARD ABOUT THIS TOPIC.
IT IS SUPER CRITICAL THAT WE, UM, GET THIS RIGHT AS WE PARTNER.
WE TALK ABOUT PARTNERSHIP A LOT, RIGHT? WE PARTNER WITH EACH OTHER WITH THE CITY AND CAP METRO.
WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE GONNA BE PARTNERING WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO RECEIVE FUNDS TO, UH, TO BUILD THIS PROJECT.
WE ALSO WANNA PARTNER WITH INDUSTRY, AND WE'VE BEEN DOING AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF OUTREACH WITH THEM.
AND WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT, UM, HOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.
WHAT I'M REALLY PROUD OF IS WHAT YOU'RE SEEING TODAY IS OUR TEAM HAS PROACTIVELY WORKED WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE CAP METRO STAFF IN ADVANCE OF THIS PRESENTATION.
SO THEY HAVE SEEN THIS INFORMATION BECAUSE WE VIEW, UH, WE'RE BRINGING EVERYONE ALONG AS WE DO THINGS LIKE BIG, BIG ISSUES LIKE THIS.
UM, SO YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ABOUT IT.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS IDEA OF READINESS AND HOW WE'RE GONNA BE ADVANCING, UH, LIGHT RAIL FOR AUSTIN.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU AND GOOD MORNING BOARD MEMBERS EXCITED TO TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT PROJECT DELIVERY.
I WANNA FIRST START WITH WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT PROJECT DELIVERY RIGHT NOW? AND AS GREG MENTIONED, AS PART OF OUR ORGANIZATIONAL READINESS, WE ARE THOUGHTFULLY, UM, CONSIDERING ALL STAGES OF LIGHT RAIL IMPLEMENTATION AND PLANNING FOR THOSE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE SO THAT AS WE START TO THINK ABOUT OUR NEEDS IN DELIVERING, UM, ALL THE WAY THROUGH FINAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, WE ARE THINKING ABOUT EVERY CONTRACT, NOT IN ISOLATION AND EVERY ELEMENT OF SUPPORT, BUT HOW IT FITS INTO THAT OVERALL PLAN.
THE DELIVERY AND CONTRACTING FRAMEWORK HAS RELATIONSHIPS TO OUR PROJECT BUDGET, OUR PROJECT SCHEDULE, AND IT'S ALSO INFORMED BY, UM, THESE CONSIDERATIONS NOTED ON THE RIGHT HERE.
UH, WE ARE, UH, ANIQUE ACTUALLY MENTIONED THE, THE CITY IN TERMS OF OUR PARTNER CONSIDERATION IS LEADING EFFORTS TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PERMITTING PROCESS TO FACILITATE LIGHT RAIL DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING WORKING WITHIN THE DELIVERY MODELS.
WE'RE CONSIDERING, UH, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH CAP METRO EVERY STEP OF THE WAY TO BE ENGAGED WITH, WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS,
[00:50:01]
UM, COMMUNITY CONSIDERATIONS.IT, IT'S REALLY CRITICAL THAT WE BUILD LOCAL CAPACITY BUILDING INTO OUR PROGRAM AND, AND REALLY BUILDING FROM THE GROUND UP OUR TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY AND SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND ALSO THAT WE ARE LISTENING TO INDUSTRY AND THE MARKET CONDITIONS AND BUILDING IN THE BEST PRACTICES OF, OF PROGRAMS OF SIMILAR SIZE AND COMPLEXITY TO, TO INFORM HOW WE PROCEED AND ALL OF THIS THROUGH THE LENS OF MANAGING RISK ON THE PROGRAM.
UH, AND AND LASTLY, UH, THOUGH, THOUGH NOT LEAST WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT NOW TO FACILITATE OPEN COMMUNICATION WITH INDUSTRY, AS WAS MENTIONED, WE WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT WE'LL NEED FOR SUPPORT SO THAT WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, CLEAR EXPECTATIONS AND, AND ALSO SO THAT INDUSTRY KNOWS WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE COMING.
LINDSAY, YOU FORGOT TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF, BY THE WAY.
SHE'S OUR EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OVER ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION.
LEADING THE CHARGE AND AN INCREDIBLE ASSET.
SO, UM, AND LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, I'M OVER BUSINESS AND LEGAL AFFAIRS AND PROCUREMENT AND, AND I, AND BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, AM A LAWYER SOMETIMES, BUT LUCKILY BRANDON, I, I DO WANNA EMPHASIZE ON THIS SLIDE THAT WE, UM, WHAT UNDERPINS ALL OF OUR WORK AND OUR RISK MANAGEMENT EFFORT IS MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINE GUIDELINES AND BEST PRACTICES THAT THE D O T, THE U S D O T PUTS FORWARD IN THAT WE, UM, RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE TO BRING THE F T A AND D O T ALONG EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
AND WE HAVE DONE THAT WITH OUR PROCUREMENT POLICY AND ALSO HERE, UM, IN HAVING MET WITH THEM AND BRIEF THEM AS WELL ON WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE.
ALL RIGHT, SO A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO COVER.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT DELIVERY MODEL OPTIONS AND, UH, WHAT WE'RE CONSIDERING IN THOSE OPTIONS.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT OUR DELIVERY PRINCIPLES AND THE GUIDING GOALS FOR OUR CONTRACTING AND DELIVERING FRAMEWORK, UH, HOW THAT RELATES TO THE MAJOR LIGHT RAIL SCOPE ELEMENTS, AN OVERVIEW OF POTENTIAL CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES AND NEXT STEPS IN FURTHERING THIS PROCESS.
AND WITH THAT, NICOLE, IF YOU CAN TALK THROUGH SOME OF THOSE DELIVERY MODEL OPTIONS AND, AND COMPARE THEM.
I'M A SENIOR MANAGING DIRECTOR WITH THE ERNST YOUNG INFRASTRUCTURE TEAM WHO HAS BEEN SUPPORTING ATP AROUND TOPICS RELATED TO COMMERCIAL ISSUES DELIVERY, AS WELL AS RISK FOR THE PAST YEAR.
ON THE SCREEN HERE, UM, ARE FOUR DELIVERY METHODS THAT THE ATP TEAM HAS BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT, DISCUSSING WITH PEER AGENCIES AND, AND TALKING WITH INDUSTRY ABOUT AS WELL.
UM, EACH OF THESE DELIVERY METHODS VARIES, UM, IN HOW DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION ARE APPROACHED AND IN THE TIMING OF WHEN PRICING IS AVAILABLE UNDER EACH TYPE OF CONTRACT.
THE UPPER LEFT IS DESIGNED BID BUILD.
IN THAT SCENARIO, ATP IS ABLE TO HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER COMPLETING DESIGN WITH PRICING AVAILABLE AT THE VERY END OF THE PROCESS IN THE TWO BOXES IN THE BOTTOM.
UM, ATP HAS AN ACTIVE ROLE IN DESIGN WITH PRICING AVAILABLE WHILE NOT AT THE END, SLIGHTLY EARLIER IN THE PROCESS.
AND IN THE UPPER RIGHT WITH DESIGN BUILD.
ATP PREPARES INITIAL CONCEPTUAL DESIGNS AND SPECIFICATIONS, AND THE MARKET IS ABLE TO GIVE PRICING EARLIER IN THE PROCESS, BUT AGAIN, LESS DIRECT CONTROL AS THINGS EVOLVE.
EACH OF THESE TYPES OF DELIVERY MODELS ALSO VARY IN HOW THEY ADDRESS RISK, WHO TAKES WHAT RISK, AND REALLY FEED INTO THE OVERALL RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR THE PROGRAM, WHICH LINDSAY SPOKE ABOUT.
IT'S VERY LIKELY THAT ANY PLAN THAT ATP PURSUES WILL USE A COMBINATION OF THESE METHODS AS THE RIGHT METHOD FOR A PROJECT, REALLY DEPENDS ON THE PROJECT, THE SIZE OF THE PROJECT, THE NATURE OF CONSTRUCTION, THE COMPLEXITY OF CONSTRUCTION, AND THE KEY RISKS EMBEDDED IN A PROJECT.
UM, WITH THAT, LINDSAY WILL SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW ATP IS THINKING ABOUT THE FRAMEWORK FOR SELECTING AMONG THESE METHODS AND WHERE THEY MAY BE APPLIED.
AND AS NICOLE MENTIONED, THESE DELIVERY MODELS ARE NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL.
THEY REALLY SHOULD BE TAILORED TO THE DIFFERENT SCOPE ELEMENTS OF THE PROJECT AND THINKING THROUGH WHICH MODEL BEST FITS WITH THAT ELEMENT.
UM, SO WE, WE MAY BE CONSIDERING DESIGN BID BUILD FOR SOME ELEMENTS LIKE EARLY WORKS AND UTILITIES.
UM, THOUGH WE'RE LOOKING AT COLLABORATIVE MODELS, WHETHER THAT BE PROGRESSIVE DESIGN BUILD OR CMGC FOR SOME OF THE LARGEST ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM, UH, FOR THE, THE LIGHT RAIL.
AND MINK'S GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT LATER ABOUT THE DIFFERENT SCOPE ELEMENTS, BUT I WANNA TALK ABOUT HOW COLLABORATIVE MODELS CAN ALIGN WITH OUR PRINCIPLES AND GOALS, AGAIN,
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OVERALL THROUGH THAT LENS OF MANAGING RISK ON THE PROGRAM.UM, SO, SO STARTING HERE WITH EARLY CONTRACTOR INVOLVEMENT, THAT COLLABORATIVE MODELS, UM, CAN HELP US BRING THE CONTRACTOR AND BOTH COST RELIABILITY, CONSTRUCTABILITY LIFECYCLE CONSIDERATIONS VERY EARLY INTO THE DESIGN SO THAT WE DON'T END UP IN A, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TRADITIONAL DESIGN BID BUILD ACTUALLY USED TO DE-RISK PROJECTS, BUT NOW MANY PROJECTS ARE GOING THROUGH THAT PHASE.
AND, UH, WHEN YOU REACH THE, THE END AND A HUNDRED PERCENT DESIGN THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE VERSUS WHAT THE CONTRACTOR'S BID PRICES ARE WORLDS APART.
SO REALLY ENGAGING THE CONTRACTOR EARLY TO AVOID SOME OF THOSE RISKS.
UH, WE'RE ALSO CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF INTERFACES BETWEEN SEPARATE CONTRACTS TO MANAGE THE RISK.
AND, AND BY INTERFACE, I MEAN, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE LIKE A CIVIL WORKS, YOUR, YOUR ROADWAY AND, UM, TRACKWAY AND RAIL SYSTEMS, BUT A SEPARATE CONTRACT FOR RAIL VEHICLES AND MAYBE THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY AND EVERY INTERFACE BETWEEN CONTRACTS IS, IS A, A PLACE WHERE WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THINGS DON'T SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS AND COORDINATING BETWEEN THEM.
SO MAKING SURE TO LIMIT THOSE NUMBER OF INTERFACES, BUT ALSO USING A COLLABORATIVE MODEL THAT HELPS RECONCILE, UM, THE COORDINATION POINTS ACROSS THOSE.
AND, AND REALLY LISTENING TO INDUSTRY AND ALIGNING WITH WHAT WE ARE HEARING FOR PROJECTS SIMILAR TO OURS, UH, TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE GOOD PARTICIPATION AND COMPETITION IN ALL OF OUR PROCESSES.
AND, AND AGAIN, UM, BELIEVING THAT COLLABORATIVE CONTRACTING ACTUALLY FACILITATES OUR CRITICAL PROGRAM GOAL OF HAVING REALLY MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL AND DBE FIRMS TO ENGAGE IN, UM, YOU KNOW, IN, IN PRIME ROLES, BUT ALSO SUBCONTRACTING ROLES FOR KEY ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM.
IF I COULD
UM, I LIKE THE IDEA OF EARLY CONTRACTOR INVOLVEMENT AND, AND FACILITATING, BUT THE QUESTION IS, IS THERE A SPECIFIC PROCESS FOR IT? MEANING DO WE HAVE OPERATING PROCEDURES AND HOW DO WE VERIFY AND DOCUMENT WHAT HAS BEEN DONE? BECAUSE IN SOME CASES WHERE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PARTICIPATION FROM WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES, MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES, LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT SAY, WELL, HOW DID YOU GET HERE BECAUSE I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE I WAS CONTACTED AND INCLUDED.
HOW DO YOU ESTABLISH, UM, WHAT STEPS DO WE TAKE AND WHERE DO WE TAKE THEM AS WE START TOP ROLLING WITH THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
AND, AND COURTNEY, I MAY ASK YOU TO JOIN ME.
UM, WE'LL, WE'LL SHARE A MIND HERE FOR A MOMENT, BUT I'LL, I'LL START.
UM, SO AS PART OF OUR NEXT STEPS, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE DOING INDUSTRY OUTREACH WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON SMALL BUSINESS AND DBE OUTREACH AND, AND BRINGING OPPORTUNITIES BOTH TO MEET THE PRIMES ON CERTAIN CONTRACTS, BUT ALSO OPPORTUNITIES TO BE THE PRIME FOR OTHER CONTRACTS AND, AND REALLY HELPING BRING OUR, OUR PARTNERS ALONG AND SUPPORTING THEM, UM, THROUGH THINGS LIKE MENTOR PROTEGE PROGRAMS, UH, AND, AND OTHER ELEMENTS TO REALLY HELP BRING THEM UP WHERE, THANK YOU.
AND IF YOU WANNA ADD TO THAT
UM, THE ONLY THING TO ADD IS THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO SEE THIS PROCESS AND PLAN PLAY OUT, WE'RE GONNA CREATE A STRATEGY OF HOW WE ACTUALLY GO OUT BROADER, BOTH IN THE LOCAL TO SEE WHO'S AVAILABLE TO BECOME DBES, UM, HOW THE LOCAL BUSINESS PROGRAM WILL PLAY INTO ALL OF THE ASPECTS OF, OF WHAT WE'RE BUILDING TO ENSURE