Donaldson/Engineering SelectionOctober 8, 2009
Mr. Fred Leistiko, Airport Manager
Kalispell City Airport
PO Box 1997
Kalispell, Montana 59903-1997
Re: Kalispell City Airport — Engineering Selection
Dear Mr. Leistiko;
I appreciate you calling me to let me know the results of the selection committee's decision. Of course, I
am very disappointed. Any time a relationship that has lasted for a long period is terminated, it is
upsetting.
Since the North End Surfacing and Utility work, we really haven't had a chance to "show -our -stuff' other
than the ALP work because of the long and drawn out Stokes affair. We have hung in there with you
providing miscellaneous services as needed to help with Stokes and your land efforts.
It is very disappointing to not be re -selected as the airport engineer now that some actual substantial
engineering can possibly get started.
Based on our conversation, I understand that you were in favor of retaining RPA for the airport work, but
that you were out -voted or collectively decided on Stelling. Thank you very much for your support. I
respectfully request a copy of the scoring sheets or record of whatever method was used to make the
decision. I am curious to see how others involved in selection affected the outcome when I don't believe
they have first hand knowledge of RPA's airport division's abilities and standing in Montana's airport
engineering community. It will also help us determine where our deficiencies are so that we can improve
our services in the future.
Below is a summary of our Contract Task Order standings:
Task Order #8 — Topographic Survey — Complete and paid.
Task Order #9 — Preliminary Engineering — Complete and paid.
Task Order #10 — Legal Land Survey — Nearly complete, but cannot be finished until acquisitions occur.
We have invoiced to the amount of the contract earned, but will not invoice the remainder for services not
provided. Please let us know if you want us to complete this task when the parcels are acquired or if we
should close the task. If we close it now we will make no further requests for payment and consider the
task
HELENA - CORPORATE OFFICE
KALISPELL
BUTTE
P.O. Box 5653
P.O. Box 5100
Thornton Building
825 Custer Avenue
102 Cooperative Way, Suite 300
65 East Broadway
Helena, MT 59604
Kalispell, MT 59903
Butte, MT 59701
(406) 447-5000
(406) 752-5025
(406) 533-6770
FAX (406) 447-5036
FAX (406) 752-5024
FAX (406) 533-6830
Robert Peccia & Associates
Mr. Fred Leistiko
October 7, 2009
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closed. If you want us to finish it, we will have to negotiate terms for completion since the duration was
to be from August 2007 to March 2008.
KGEZ Assistance — no contract for miscellaneous requests. Invoiced by the hour and paid
Landfill Investigation — no contract for this work. Invoiced by the hour and paid
Land Acquisition Assistance — no contract. For most airport land acquisition projects RPA is contracted
to coordinate the appraisal, reviews and negotiations. However in this case, knowing that it was going to
be a long drawn out affair affected by available financing and Mr. Stokes, you took that role. RPA
assisted you in a support role. We invoiced for those hours of assistance but they were denied I believe
primarily due to City finances at the time. We still believe these should be FAA eligible as a cost in the
land acquisition project. We will invoice for those services again so that they can be paid and you don't
have to worry about keeping track of that anymore.
Of course there is no contractual relationship and so you or the City can chose not to pay, or only pay a
portion, for those services rendered if you do not think they are warranted. We do not want to jeopardize
any future work with the City by requesting payment for anything you do not think was done to further
your cause toward the land acquisition made to date. Over the course of 28 months we have only
accumulated 104 hours in by attending meetings, developing multiple CIP iterations, providing assistance
to appraisers, drafting exhibits, etc.
Once again, I am very disappointed we will not be able to assist you in this next step in seeing the Master
Plan we helped develop move forward. I hope we will have an opportunity later in the process as the land
acquisition and funding for your projects will take several years.
I have enjoyed working with you on the airport's projects and in your role on the Montana Aeronautics
Board. You are an asset to the Kalispell City Airport and Montana's aviation community.
Please contact me if you have any questions or comments.
Sincerely
ROBERT PECCIA & ASSOCIATES
xe,'� I
Rick Donaldson, P.E.
Vice President
Airport Division Manager
cc: Ryan Mitchell, PE, PLS - RPA Office Manager
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