A resolution approving a proposed Contract between the City and County of…

This resolution authorizes the City and County of Denver to enter into a professional services contract with Lamb-Star Engineering, LLC, a firm that would be available on an as-needed basis to provide engineering support across multiple city departments. On-call or category contracts are a standard municipal procurement tool, allowing governments to secure qualified vendors in advance rather than issuing separate competitive bids for each individual project. This approach reduces administrative overhead and speeds up project delivery when engineering needs arise unexpectedly or on short timelines.

The fiscal commitment is capped at $800,000 over the contract period, which is managed by Denver's Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI). The on-call structure means the city is not obligated to spend the full amount; payments are made only when specific task orders are issued under the contract. The three-year base term, with a two-year optional extension, gives the city flexibility to retain a proven partner if performance is satisfactory or to seek new vendors if it is not.

From a procurement standpoint, the contract reflects standard practices used by municipalities nationwide to maintain engineering capacity without hiring full-time staff for every specialty. Denver has used similar on-call professional services contracts across infrastructure, transportation, and utilities work. Lamb-Star Engineering is a firm with roots in Texas that has expanded its footprint in infrastructure engineering, and its selection would have followed Denver's competitive solicitation process.

Stakeholders affected include city residents who benefit from maintained infrastructure, local and regional engineering firms competing for similar contracts, city employees who coordinate engineering projects, and taxpayers who fund municipal operations. The contract is administered under DOTI, meaning it most directly touches transportation and public works projects across Denver's extensive city-county jurisdiction.

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The Denver City Council is reviewing a resolution to approve an $800,000 contract with Lamb-Star Engineering, LLC, allowing the firm to provide professional engineering services to the city on an as-needed basis for up to five years. The agreement is structured as an on-call contract, meaning Denver can issue specific work orders to Lamb-Star as engineering needs arise across city departments, rather than committing to a fixed project scope upfront. The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure is the lead agency overseeing the arrangement.

Supporters of the contract, including the committee that approved it in November 2025, argue that on-call professional services agreements are an efficient and cost-effective way for a large city to access specialized expertise quickly. By pre-qualifying a vendor through a competitive process, the city avoids the delays and administrative costs of launching a new procurement every time an engineering task surfaces. Proponents also note that the task-order payment structure means taxpayer dollars are spent only when actual work is performed.

Critics of on-call contracting models more broadly raise concerns about reduced competition once a vendor is locked in for multiple years. Small or minority-owned engineering firms may find it harder to win work if a single contractor holds a standing citywide agreement. There are also transparency concerns, as individual task orders issued under umbrella contracts can be harder for the public and watchdog groups to track compared to standalone project contracts.

For Denver residents, the practical effect of this contract is relatively limited in day-to-day terms. It is one of many professional services agreements the city manages to keep infrastructure projects moving, from road design to utility planning. The broader significance lies in how well the city documents its use of the contract and whether residents can verify that the $800,000 ceiling is respected and the work delivers clear public value.