TO: ADAM PIRRIE, CITY MANAGER
FROM: BRAD JOHNSON, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
DATE: NOVEMBER 12, 2025
Reviewed by:
City Manager: AP
SUBJECT:
Title
AUTHORIZATION TO AMEND THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH BPR CONSULTING GROUP AND ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH WILLDAN FOR PROFESSIONAL BUILDING DIVISION SERVICES (FUNDING SOURCE: GENERAL FUND)
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SUMMARY
The Claremont Building Division is responsible for reviewing construction plans submitted by project applicants and conducting inspections to ensure compliance with all applicable codes. The Division has continued to experience an increase in both the volume and complexity of plan submittals and inspection requests.
In February 2025, the City entered into an agreement with BPR Consulting Group (BPR) for an amount not to exceed $50,000 for plan review, contract building inspection, and staffing services. On May 27, 2025, the City Council authorized an increase of $350,000, bringing the total contract amount to $400,000. BPR has provided substantial support by ensuring that reviews and inspections are completed promptly and without interruption to service. However, due to higher-than-anticipated development activity, funding on the contract has been exhausted, and staff recommends amending the contract to increase compensation.
Staff also recommends entering into an agreement with Willdan Engineering for Building Division services. Currently, the Division relies solely on BPR. Entering into an agreement with Willdan will provide additional capacity and flexibility in case of delays or other service interruptions and may also offer cost efficiencies for larger development projects. Continued contract support is essential to maintain the Division’s current service levels and responsiveness to the community.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommended Action
Staff recommends the City Council:
A. Authorize the City Manager to execute an amendment to the existing professional services agreement with BPR Consulting Group, increasing the compensation by $350,000 for a total contract amount of $750,000;
B. Authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement with Willdan in the amount of $200,000 for Building Division Services; and
C. Appropriate $550,000 from the unassigned General Fund balance in 2025-26 to fully fund these agreements.
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ALTERNATIVE TO RECOMMENDATION
In addition to the recommendation, there is the following alternative:
• Request additional information from staff.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Staff originally estimated the cost of contract building services provided by BPR for 2025-26 to be $350,000. Due to the increased number of large-scale development projects, this estimate has been revised to $750,000. The revised amount is based on the current workload assigned to contract staff and several complex projects anticipated over the next year.
The proposed agreement with BPR includes service rates for the initial plan review and two back-check reviews that are set at sixty-eight percent of the project’s plan review fees collected by the City for that project. The remaining thirty-two percent is anticipated to recover the costs of City staff and overhead that supports each plan check application. The costs of this agreement are fully paid by the applicant’s plan check fees collected by the City.
Staff also recommends entering into an agreement with Willdan in the amount of $200,000 for plan review services. Unlike BPR’s percentage-based structure, Willdan charges hourly rates, which may result in cost savings for larger or more complex development projects.
Both BPR and Willdan have provided timeframes that ensure plan reviews are completed within industry standards, minimizing potential delays and maintaining efficient service delivery.
Building plan check revenues for 2025-26 are anticipated to be approximately $600,000, which is collected to recover the costs for staff and contracted services to review building plans for the year. On average, the City collects over $400,000 per year in building plan check revenues, paid in full by applicants submitting construction plans to the City. The collection of these revenues fluctuates based on the amount of development within the City each year. Additionally, building permit revenues are anticipated to be $1,000,000 in 2025-26. These fees are collected when an applicant pulls their building permit and offsets the cost of permit processing and inspections by the Building Division or contract staff.
The staff cost to prepare this report and administer these contracts is estimated at $1,000 and is included in the operating budget of the Community Development Department.
ANALYSIS
The Building Division is responsible for enforcing building standards for all residential and commercial improvements within the City. Given the substantial volume and complexity of current and upcoming projects, contract staffing and plan review services are critical to maintaining timely service levels and compliance with state and local codes.
BPR Consulting Group has consistently provided reliable and responsive plan check and inspection services, allowing the Division to avoid project delays and maintain strong customer service. BPR employs a large, diverse team, including engineers, architects, and ADA specialists, who provide detailed and high-quality reviews.
Entering into an agreement with Willdan will supplement these services and provide the Division with an additional resource for plan checks and inspections as needed. The combined use of both consultants will give the City flexibility to scale services up or down as workload demands fluctuate.
Examples of anticipated larger near-term projects include the Taylor Morrison (La Puerta School Site) Development plan check, Scripps College arts building expansion, Claremont McKenna Sports bowl structures, Pomona College Language Immersive Residence Hall project, City Ventures Townhomes, and various smaller Claremont Colleges-related projects. Examples of the need for periodic supplemental inspection staffing in the Building Division include coverage when existing staff are out or on leave, or when workload volumes rise beyond current staff capacities.
RELATIONSHIP TO CITY PLANNING DOCUMENTS
Staff has evaluated the agenda item in relationship to the City’s strategic and visioning documents and finds that it applies to the following City Planning Documents: General Plan and the 2024-26 Budget.
CEQA REVIEW
This item is not subject to environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS
The agenda and staff report for this item have been posted on the City website and distributed to interested parties. If you desire a copy, please contact the City Clerk’s Office.
Submitted by: Prepared by:
Brad Johnson Alex Cousins
Community Development Department Senior Management Analyst