AJ Johnson

Public Works Administrator

Julie Leonard

Public Works Director

Issue Statement: In accordance with Florida Administrative Code (FAC) 556, Sunshine State One Call of Florida, and Broward County regulations, the City of Oakland Park is required to provide accurate underground utility location data for its water, sewer, and stormwater systems. These services support contractors, developers, and utility customers performing excavation activities. To meet this obligation, the City utilizes a specialized contractor to perform underground utility location services.

Recommended Action: The City Commission adopt a resolution approving the continued use of the Town of Pembroke Park’s Contract ITB 22-04 with Craig A. Smith & Associates for underground utility location services, for the second 1-year renewal option period covering May 12, 2026, through April 30, 2027, which includes a Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustment of 2.60%, in an amount not to exceed the budgeted availability. 

Additional Background: Locating underground infrastructure is critical to preventing damage during excavation and construction. The City must report the presence of both active and abandoned infrastructure as documented. These location services are conducted solely within City-owned easements and rights-of-way.

Contracting for these services ensures compliance with response time mandates, minimizes the need for City staffing, and avoids the capital expense of specialized detection equipment such as ground-penetrating radar systems. This approach is widely used across municipal utility providers.

Since August 2022, the City of Oakland Park has utilized the Town of Pembroke Park’s competitively bid contract (ITB 22-04) with Craig A. Smith & Associates for utility location services. Utilizing the second 1-year renewal period from May 12, 2026, through April 30, 2027, is being requested.

The Town of Pembroke Park has exercised its second and final 1-year renewal option for the period May 12, 2026, through April 30, 2027, which includes as conditions the CPI adjustment of 2.60%. City staff is satisfied with the performance of this vendor and would like to continue utilizing this contract under the renewal terms.  

In FY 2025, the City expended $40,023 with Craig A. Smith & Associates for underground utility location services. Cumulative expenditures for these services are projected to exceed $25,000 during FY 2026.  However, total expenditures will remain within the budgeted availability.

No additional funding is being requested at this time, as sufficient funds are included in the FY 26 Operating Budget of the Public Works – Water & Wastewater Division budget to support continued services.