Firm Description: ECS Southwest, LLP

North Texas Legacy and Market Presence: ECS Southwest, LLP has been a cornerstone of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex engineering community since 2000. Operating from their regional hub in Carrollton, Texas, the firm has established a reputation for technical precision in geotechnical construction, materials environmental facilities, and comprehensive materials testing. Their local expertise is tailored to the specific soil and environmental conditions of North Texas, ensuring that municipal projects like the Hutchins City Hall are built on a foundation of scientific certainty.
Multi-Disciplinary Engineering Excellence: The firm operates as a multi-disciplinary powerhouse, holding Texas Registered Engineering Firm license F-8461. Their capabilities span the entire project lifecycle, from initial geotechnical investigations to final structural observations. This integrated approach allows for seamless communication between engineers and technicians, reducing the risk of data silos and ensuring that field observations are directly informed by engineering design intent.
Nationally Accredited Laboratory Infrastructure: ECS Southwest distinguishes itself through its nationally accredited in-house laboratories. Their North Texas operation includes specialized facilities for concrete and masonry testing (compressive strength) as well as comprehensive soils analysis. These laboratories are equipped to perform Proctors, Atterberg Limits, moisture/density relationships, and California Bearing Ratio (CBR) tests, providing the "Science You Build On" through rigorously calibrated equipment and standardized methodologies.
Technological Leadership in Reporting: Recognizing the fast-paced nature of modern construction, ECS has implemented a proprietary paperless field reporting system. This system ensures that Project Principal reviewed testing and inspection reports are transmitted to project stakeholders within 24 to 48 hours of service performance. This commitment to transparency and speed allows contractors and the City of Hutchins to make data-driven decisions in real-time, preventing costly delays and ensuring project momentum.
Professional Integrity and Certification: The firm’s strength lies in its human capital, comprised of Professional Engineers (P.E.) and certified technicians. Every member of the CMT team is trained to provide responsive, professional service that meets the high standards of the ECS Group of Companies. Their "One Firm. One Mission." philosophy ensures that whether a technician is observing proof-rolling or performing slump tests, the focus remains on the long-term structural integrity of the public asset.
Extensive Regional Experience: With deep experience in local construction means and methods, ECS offers an unparalleled combination of service and value. They have supported a diverse array of projects across multiple markets in Texas, bringing a holistic understanding of quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) to every assignment. This regional familiarity is critical for navigating the nuances of DFW's geological profiles and climate-related construction variables.
Commitment to Quality Assurance: Every project at ECS is overseen by senior leadership, including Project Managers like Raza Hussain Mir and Principal Engineers like Vincent J. Elizarde, P.E. This hierarchical oversight ensures that every field report and lab result undergoes a multi-tiered review process before reaching the client, upholding the firm's commitment to delivering high-quality, professional engineering services to the City of Hutchins.

Scope of Services

Earthwork and Subgrade Preparation: The scope initiates with a comprehensive evaluation of the project's foundational soils. An Engineering Technician is tasked with obtaining soil samples to perform laboratory moisture/density relationship tests, commonly referred to as Standard Proctors (ASTM D 698). This process is vital for establishing the maximum density at which the site's specific soil types can be compacted. Additionally, the technician will perform classification tests including Atterberg Limits and percent finer than the No. 200 sieve to understand the soil's plasticity and grain size distribution. During construction, ECS will observe proof-rolling of prepared subgrade areas to identify any unstable or "pumping" zones that require remediation. The technician will also perform in-place moisture/density tests using nuclear or other approved methods to verify that backfill materials meet the project's compaction specifications. For lime-treated subgrades, the scope includes measuring lime depth and gradations to ensure chemical stabilization is uniform across the site.
Foundational Observation and Testing: A Senior Engineering Technician will oversee all foundation-related activities for the City Hall building. This includes the visual observation of foundation excavations for shallow footings to confirm the bearing strata matches the geotechnical design assumptions. For deep foundations, such as piers, the technician will document penetration depths and ensure the end-bearing surface is clean and free of deleterious materials. The scope also encompasses the observation of reinforcing steel layout within these foundations, verifying that the bar size, spacing, and positioning align with the structural drawings.
Reinforcing Steel and Cast-in-Place Concrete: This phase of the project requires rigorous monitoring of all structural concrete elements. ECS technicians will observe the reinforcing steel layout for size, cleanliness, and splice lengths before any concrete is poured. During placement, they will perform a suite of field tests including slump (to measure workability), air content (to ensure durability against freeze-thaw cycles), unit weight, and temperature monitoring of both the ambient air and the concrete mix. Sample cylinders will be cast at the site for subsequent laboratory analysis. These cylinders are picked up the following workday and transported to the Carrollton laboratory for moisture curing and compressive strength testing at specified intervals (typically 7 and 28 days) to validate the concrete's f'c design strength.
Structural Masonry Quality Control: For the masonry components of the City Hall, a Senior Engineering Technician will perform periodic observations of cell reinforcement and grout placement. This includes verifying that reinforcing steel is clean and properly positioned within the masonry units. Field tests for masonry grout and mortar, such as slump and temperature measurements, will be performed as applicable. Samples of these materials will be collected and tested in the laboratory to confirm they meet the required compressive strength standards, ensuring the masonry walls act as a unified structural system.
Structural Steel Assembly and Connections: The project's structural steel framework will be scrutinized by a specialized Structural Steel Technician. The scope includes visual observations of the general erection process to ensure the assembly follows the approved shop drawings. Critical focus will be placed on completed welds and bolted connections. The technician will verify that bolts are tensioned to the required levels and that welds are free of defects such as porosity or incomplete fusion, providing a final layer of safety for the building's skeleton.
Site Civil Improvements and Flatwork: Beyond the primary City Hall structure, ECS will provide CMT services for site pavement, including fire lanes, dumpster enclosures, and generator pads. This involves testing the subgrade and materials for sidewalks and miscellaneous flatwork outside the building. These elements, while often considered secondary, are essential for the facility's accessibility and operational longevity. The same rigorous testing standards applied to the building foundations will be used for these site features to prevent premature cracking or settlement.
Project Management and Technical Consultation: Every hour of field service is supported by project administration and management. Project Managers and Principal Engineers coordinate with the general contractor to dispatch field staff on an as-needed basis, ensuring that testing does not become a bottleneck for the construction schedule. They also provide general material engineering consultation, helping the project team navigate any technical challenges that arise during the construction of the ~23,500 square foot facility.
Laboratory Analysis and Data Integration: All physical samples—soils, concrete, and masonry—are integrated into the ECS laboratory workflow. The data generated from these tests is reviewed by a Project Principal and incorporated into finalized reports. These reports serve as the official record of the building's material compliance, providing the City of Hutchins with the necessary documentation for building permits and long-term asset management.

Technical Standard: Standard Proctor (ASTM D 698)

The Standard Proctor test is the industry benchmark for soil compaction. By establishing the relationship between moisture content and dry unit weight, it allows engineers to specify the exact conditions required for a stable foundation, preventing future building settlement and structural distress.

Labor Rate Detailed Schedule

Personnel / Service Category	Unit Rate
Principal Engineer (P.E.) / Project Principal	$195.00 / Hour
Project Manager / Senior Engineer	$155.00 / Hour
Senior Engineering Technician	$75.00 / Hour
Engineering Technician	$65.00 / Hour
Structural Steel Technician	$85.00 / Hour
Administrative / Clerical Staff	$60.00 / Hour
Concrete Compressive Strength Test (Set of 4-5)	$85.00 / Each
Standard Proctor Soil Test	$225.00 / Each

Glossary of Terms

CMT

Construction Materials Engineering and Testing. A critical field of engineering focused on verifying that the materials used in construction meet the design and safety specifications.

Atterberg Limits

A basic measure of the critical water contents of a fine-grained soil: its shrinkage limit, plastic limit, and liquid limit.

Proof-Rolling

The practice of driving a heavy vehicle over a subgrade to check for areas of excessive deflection, indicating poor compaction or unsuitable soil.

TX Firm F-8461

The specific registration number assigned to ECS Southwest, LLP by the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.

ECS SOUTHWEST, LLP

Proposal: 19:14654-CP

Hutchins City Hall CMT Services