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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 12-16-1997 - 9g ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: December 16, 1997 Action Agenda Item No. SUBJECT: Award of Proposals - Aerial Photography DEPARTMENT: Land Records/Purchasing PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) IYQ A BUDGET AMENDMENT: (Y/N) ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Summary of Proposals Roscoe Reeve, ext 2500 Explanation of Terms Pam Jones, ext 2650 9/11/97 Letter from CH Town Manager TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 227-2031 PURPOSE: To consider authorizing staff to negotiate an agreement with Atlantic Technologies Limited, that will provide aerial photography of Orange County, and other long term digital mapping services to enhance the employment of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Orange County government. BACKGROUND: Orange County's Strategic Automation Plan and Capital Improvements Plan include proposals to enhance the uses of GIS through additional data gathering and digital mapping capabilities. The first step towards these enhancements is the acquisition of updated aerial photography of the entire County, which was last flown in 1987. At its last meeting, the Board approved a capital project ordinance appropriating $48,000 to enable the County to obtain updated aerial photos during Winter 1998,while the leaves are off the trees. RFP Process In November, County staff prepared a request for proposals for aerial photography and other, future digital mapping services and circulated it to prospective vendors. By December 5, 1997 at 3:00, the required time and date to deliver proposals from vendors, the County received five complete proposals and one incomplete proposal. The complete proposals were submitted by: ASI Landmark Inc of Cary,NC Atlantic Technologies LTD of Huntsville, AL L Robert Kimball Company of Ebensville, PA Kucera International Inc of Willoughby, OH Williams-Stackhouse Inc of San Antonio, TX The incomplete proposal was submitted by Piedmont Aerial Survey of High Point, NC. The Purchasing Director informed Piedmont that their proposal was incomplete and it was rejected. A tabulation of the five complete proposals is attached. On December 10, 1997 the five proposals were reviewed by: Roscoe Reeve, Land Records Manager/GIS Director of Orange County, Richard Taylor, IS Director of Orange County, George Small, Engineer, Town of Chapel Hill, Larry Tucker, Assistant Engineer, Town of Chapel Hill, Craig Harmon, Planner, Town of Carrboro, Mike Lambert, GIS Coordinator& Engineer, Orange Water& Sewer Authority, Paula Gee Davis, UNC Facilities Management, University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill, Ray Maygar, Transportation Planner, University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill. They were supported by the County's consultant, Connie Wester of C W Wester& Associates Inc of Raleigh. The consultant was retained to evaluate the technical response of the vendors to the County's RFP, their qualifications to provide the services requested in the RFP (appropriate staff and resources), and the relationship of their technical proposals to their pricing. The consultant reviewed the proposals with the work group, making comments on the technical approach of each vendor and their qualifications, and answered questions as to options the County would have to achieve its budget or lower its cost. The conclusion of the work group was that one vendor had proposed a technical approach that was not in compliance with the specifications requested by the County, and the other four vendors were relatively equal in their technical approach and qualifications. The work group unanimously recommended that negotiations towards a contract be conducted with the vendor who proposed the lowest price while meeting the technical standards requested by the County, and had qualifications equal to or higher than the other vendors: Atlantic Technologies Limited. Participation by Other Entities The Town of Chapel Hill has indicated officially its interest in participating in the aerial photography project and its willingness to share in the cost. The County is taking the lead on this project because the proposal includes aerial photography of the entire County. Representatives from the Town of Carrboro,the University, and OWASA have also participated in discussions about future GIS enhancements, in the development of the RFP, and the evaluation of vendor proposals. County staff can discuss with the other Orange County entities during the next month their level of interest in participating officially in this project, and in sharing in the costs. Scone of Project It is important to note that while the RFP asked for proposals on the entire range of GIS enhancements, the County and its potential partners would be making no commitment to the recommended vendor beyond the first phase of the project, which encompasses the aerial photography and associated control measures. Work on the future phases of the project - analytical, orthophotos, topography, and planimetrics- would not take place until fiscal year 1998-99 and beyond, and even then, only if the Board of Commissioners chooses to appropriate funds for future f � phases of the project in future years. Staff are recommending to the Board that staff be authorized to negotiate with the recommended vendor between now and the next meeting on January 20, 1998, to obtain the exact services needed and at prices that fit within the available funding (both the County's appropriation, and funds that would be provided by other participating entities). The Board would be making no contractual commitment at this time. Atlantic's proposal for aerial photography and associated control would cost $51,900, although that figure would likely change during the negotiating process. The County and its potential partners sought the entire range of GIS products to receive the best possible price for each phase as a part of a comprehensive package of potential purchases. With the complete project scope and price agreed to by the vendor and with the County and its potential partners free to fund or not fund each phase beyond the aerial photography,products can be purchased at the pace and resources committed by budget processes. The Town of Chapel Hill, for instance, may purchase all of the proposed GIS products for its area in FY97-98, while the County will only consider future phase funding in the 1998-99 and future CIP/budgets. The agreement between the County, vendor, and other potential partners to be considered at the January 20, 1998 Commissioners' meeting would state these purchase options as they were stated in the RFP. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board: 1) authorize staff to negotiate with Atlantic Technologies Limited and prepare an agreement for the Board's review and approval at the Commissioners' meeting on January 20, 1998; and 2) develop a proposed plan for cost sharing among those jurisdictions or entities in Orange County who wish to obtain and use the aerial photographs. 4 ORANGE DIGITAL ORTHOPHOTO PROJECT ASI Landmark Atlantic Kimball Kucera Williams Aerial Photos Control OEM Analytical 65,731 38,400 42,000 40,500 31,710 Ortho Photos-Total 98,950 67,915 156,500 111,129 58,378 Per Sheet 100 168 96 269.36 189 101 Per Sheet 200 167 94.5 269.36 189 101 Per Sheet 400-Partial 190 95.5 269.36 189 101 Per Sheet 400 Total 198 95.5 269.36 30 101 Topography -Total 233,822 193,687 109,600 304,786 186,626 Per Sheet 100-2' 524 348 276.18 607 281 Per Sheet 100-5' 119 194.75 152.32 332 281 Per Sheet 200 424 168 116.28 683 417 Per Sheet 400 505 168 77.02 482 417 77.02 0 0 Planimetrics-Total 320,572 229,800 249,700 198,675 323,600 Plan add -ons 29,252 64,260 55,700 68,917 48,100 Bond 7,700 4,180 7,220 15,500 17,847 Project Total 847,531 650,142 713,420 726,765 713,871 J Y Explanation of Terms Control - the use of existing or new USGS monuments to precisely tie-in locations on the ground to the photography being taken by the airplane. The airplane must have this information when it flies to register location values on the photos and its Global Positioning System (GPS) device which creates the accuracy of digital orthophotos,topography, and planimetrics at the highest level ("surveying standards"). Analytical - Fully Analytical Aerial Triangulation(FAAT) is the computer mathematical model that translates global positioning system(GPS), surveying, and monument values (X,Y Coordinates) into the creation of digital orthophotos from aerial photographs. It is the most crucial treatment of the scanned aerial photographs to create their accuracy (called "rectification" in the business). Orthophotos - computerized photographs, showing measurement and visualization of tree and other ground cover,presentations for public meetings,three dimensional rendering of views of the County with visual features displayed. Topography -refers to topography and elevation contours -planning, development and engineering analysis of floodplain, watershed and sewer issues are some of the applications that can benefit from this layer of GIS information. Planimetrics - refers to the built environment(as opposed to natural terrain). Planimetric maps showing building footprints, paved surfaces, surface water and other physical features can be used for planning,public safety applications, stormwater management and site analysis, to cite just a few examples. 6 TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL 306 NORTH COLUMBIA STREET CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA 27516 TelCohone.(1919)968-2700 September 11, 1997 Mr. John Link, Orange County Manager PO Box 8181 Hillsborough, NC 27278 Dear Mr. Link: I write to confirm Chapel Hill's interest in obtaining comprehensive aerial photo mapping of Orange County, particularly Chapel Hill township. Our existing aerial photography is over ten years old, and is obsolete in many regards because of to significant new development which has occurred over the past decade. We consider digital aerial photography data to be a critical component in the development of our Geographic Information System. Some of the applications for which we use and need aerial photography include: • Drainage Analysis (slopes, drainageways, impoundments • Infrastructure Mapping/Measurement • Engineering Project Design • Land Use Analysis (current/future) • Impervious Surface Computations • Bikeway/Sidewalk Planning • Small Area Plan Development • Landfill Planning • Building Footprint Location • Addressing (local and 911) • Regional/Local Transportation Studies (rail, transit, etc.) • Hazardous Material Spill Mitigation and Containment • Watershed Analysis/Regional Retention Basin Siting These applications are fairly specific to our local needs, but we understand that county- wide aerial photography also would benefit the assessor's office, the sheriff, emergency medical service providers and the school systems. 7 Mr. John Link Page 2. The Town is prepared to share in part of the cost of updating aerial mapping for Chapel Hill and our planning jurisdiction. We have contacted the University, the Orange Water and Sewer Authority, and the Town of Carrboro regarding this matter. All three agencies have expressed interest in new digital aerial photography, and are willing to discuss sharing costs. The Chapel Hill Town Council has made a commitment to acquiring new digital aerial photography by including partial funding in our current Capital Improvements Program, and proposing additional funds for consideration in future years. I hope you will favorably consider moving ahead with acquiring comprehensive digital aerial photography in Orange County. We hope to join with the county in this endeavor, if possible. It is our goal to have the flights completed this winter, and to begin acquiring digital data in the summer of 1998. Please give me a call if you wish to discuss this matter; or, you may prefer to have a member of your staff work directly with George Small, our Engineering Director. Mr. Small will be managing this project for us. Sincerely, Oa 44� W. Calvin Horton Town Manager cc: George Small, Director of Engineering