Primary Department: Purchasing
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Paige McInnis
Secondary Department: County Engineer
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official: Milton Rahman
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Contract - Award
Project ID (if applicable): 240258
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): Johnston, LLC
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): 20%
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal is not 0% and is listed above
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable):
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Not a grant item
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request for approval of an award on the basis of successful negotiations with the highest overall evaluation and that the County Judge execute an agreement with Johnston, LLC in the amount of $1,347,730 for professional architectural and/or engineering services for the design of the Institute of Forensic Sciences Building DNA Lab relocation for the Office of the County Engineer (240258), MWBE Contracted Goal: 20%.
end
Background and Discussion:
The Harris County Genetics Forensics Lab (DNA Lab) is currently located in the John.P. McGovern Campus of the Texas Medical Center. This project will bring the lab into the Harris County Institute of Forensic Science’s building at 1861 Holcombe, Houston, TX, where it will occupy three, vacant floors of the building. The scope consists of design and document the new lab facility along with modifications to the evidence intake, creation of a central breakroom, wellness area and modifications to IT room, corridors, core spaces as required. This project was previously advertised for consultants in 2023 to and but no suitable consultants submitted. It was re-advertised in 2024 and Johnston, LLC is recommended for selection based on their qualifications. Johnston, LLC was awarded the project by Commissioner’s Court held 12/10/2024. It should be noted that an NIST Grant for this work was approved for funding the project. See previous court actions.
Expected Impact:
Approval of this Professional Services Fee Proposal will allow the project to move to the CAO for creation of the agreement with Johnston, LLC, the Architectural & Engineering team for the design of a Genetic Forensics (DNA Lab) facility that will co-locate the DNA Lab with the Morgue and other Institute of Forensic Science functions. This will increase efficiency and collaboration between the two intertwined functions as well as offering more secure and reliable chain of custody for evidence. The new lab, with greater capacity will increase the level of service for the residents of Harris County. Additionally, the monthly lease at the John P. McGovern campus at Texas Medical Center can be discontinued thereby saving a previously estimated amount of $900,000.
Alternative Options:
Should the County elect to reject the request, the DNA lab could continue to lease space at the John P. McGovern campus, but is unknown if additional, adjacent space is available for expansion. As previously mentioned, this would mean continuing to pay monthly rent on an escalating scale per the existing lease.
County Strategic Plan Goal: N/A
County Strategic Plan Objective: N/A
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): N/A
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): N/A
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): J2: Increase the strength and size of MWBE prime vendors.
Health Initiative (Goal 4): N/A
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): N/A
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): N/A
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any):
|
Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
|
12/17/2019 |
4.i.7 |
Request for $1 M in CP funding for the IFS long-term masterplan |
|
12/17/2019 |
1.e.2 |
Authorization to negotiate with Page Southerland Page, Inc for the Masterplan Study for the IFS Building |
|
5/19/2020 |
1.g.4 |
Approval of the $86,000 for the Masterplan Study for the IFS building. |
|
12/15/2020 |
1.f.1 |
Approval of Amendment #1 for additional $31,400 for study efforts |
|
12/14/2021 |
38. |
Approval of Amendment #2for additional $38,000 for morgue expansion study to complete study efforts |
|
2/8/2022 |
166 |
Request for Approval of PIM $1,501,000 (CP) |
|
9/19/2023 |
245 |
Request for Approval to accept NIST Grant - $12,042,320 for DNA Lab |
|
12/10/2024 |
347 |
Authorization to negotiate for DNA Lab architectural & engineering services with Johnston, LLC |
Location:
Address (if applicable): 1861 Old Spanish Trail, Houston, TX 77054
Precinct(s): Precinct 1
|
Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
|
Service Name |
|
|
|
|
Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
|
|
Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
Recurring Expenses |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
Existing Budget |
|
|
|
|
|
Grant |
$ |
$12,042.360.00 |
$12,042.360.00 |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Total Existing Budget |
$ |
$12,042,360.00 |
$12,042,360.00 |
$ |
|
Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
|
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Total Funding Sources |
$ |
$12,042,360.00 |
$12,042,360.00 |
$ |
|
Grants - Proposed Budget (To be filled out by Grants staff only) |
|
|
Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
No. of Grant Years |
|
Local Match Source - Existing Budget: Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
Local Match Source - Additional Budget Request: Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total) |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
|
|
Current Position Count for Service |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Additional Positions Request |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total Personnel |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Anticipated Court Date: 6/12/2025
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): Click or tap to enter a date.
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or COVID-19 related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Dr. Ronald Lerner, Director, Vertical Construction and Design; Debjani Chakravarty, Director PMO & Contracts - Office of the County Engineer, Jared Abbey, Sourcing Manager, Harris County Purchasing
Attachments (if applicable): Letter, Agreement