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CONTRACT AMENDMENTS FOR RAMSEY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATES [TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE ELEMENTS] By: Jessie Hart, Finance Officer Background: In October of 1993, the City of Ramsey entered into contracts with two firms for separate elements of the Comprehensive Plan [Plan] updates. The City entered into a contract with BRW, Inc. to prepare the transportation element of the Plan update. This contract had a stated not-to-exceed amount of $15,880.00. The City also entered into a contract with RLK Associates LTD to prepare the land use element of the Plan update. This contract had a stated not-to-exceed price of $7,500.00. As Council is well aware, both the transportation and land use updates have not gone as smooth as had been anticipated by either firm. Thus the basis behind the requests for contract amendments from each firm. The attached correspondence from each firm provides information detailing the causes for the requested amendments. Each firm states that substantially more time was required for unanticipated meetings with each commission individually as well as numerous joint meetings with the City Council and various commissions. [over and above what had been anticipated originally]. Staff carefully monitors the bills as they are submitted for payment and has to date refused payment on "contract" costs that would exceed the not-to-exceed contract amounts. BRW is currently asking for a contract amendment that would bring the not-to-exceed amount to a new total of $19,680 which would equate to a 23% contract overage. RLK is asking for a contract amendment of $6,112.50 [includes $300 of out-of-pocket expenses]. Not including the out-of-pocket, the increase would bring the total not-to-exceed amount to $13,312.50 and would equate to a 77% overage from the original agreement. The funding for both elements was from CDBG planning moneys. At this time, all allotments have been exhausted. Therefore, CDBG is not a viable alternative to funding any possible contract amendments. The principal reason for the overages was additional meetings and requests for information from the Planning and Economic Development Commissions. As a result of this, staff is recommending some adjustment in the contract amounts. However, we don't believe the entire requests are supportable. We also believe that a portion of the cost increase can be recovered from the Economic Development Authority Fund.