Our History

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For three decades, DRC has enjoyed new and repeat business with our local, state, and federal clients.

1983- 1986

Our Chief Executive Officer, Wanda M. Martinez founded the firm in 1983, under the name Dean Ryan Consultants & Designers (DRC), and was the first employee. Ms. Martinez secured several engineering support contracts, primarily with the City of Los Angeles’s Bureau of Sanitation and with its sectors now referred to as the Bureau of Engineering-Environmental Engineering Division.

1987 - 2000

Ms. Martinez became a certified small business with the Federal Government winning more than $15 million in engineering and environmental restoration contracts with the U. S. Navy, Naval Facilities Engineering Service Command (NFESC), U. S. Navy, Southwest Division (SWDIV), and U. S. Navy Headquarters at the Pentagon. In 1989, DRC incorporated and a few years later changed its name to D R Consultants & Designers.

As the firm grew steadily, its management team and highly respected engineers and scientists received several multi-million dollar contracts with the U. S. Department of Interior-Bureau of Reclamation’s Mid-Pacific Region and with the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers-Los Angeles and Sacramento districts.  During this period, DRC expanded its practice into transportation, securing contracts for environmental and construction support for LA Metro bus and light rail projects.

2001 - Present

DRC has been awarded multi-year contracts with the City of Los Angeles’s Bureau of Engineering (Environmental Engineering Division and Geotechnical Division) and Bureau of Sanitation, the Port of Los Angeles, LADWP, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers-Bureau of Reclamation, LA Metro, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and numerous water agencies, special districts, and municipal clients. DRC has met or exceeded the requirements on every contract. We consistently receive high performance ratings, client commendations, and a high rate of follow-on and repeat business.  In 2019, DRC added a fully dedicated construction management group, responding to LA Metro’s expansion of its Construction Support Services department, coordinated with Caltrans, to complete the growing number of roadway and highway projects funded by countywide voter approval of Measure R and Measure M.

A trusted partner to our clients, we draw together teams of engineers, planners, architects, landscape architects, environmental specialists, scientists, special consultants, as well as cost construction, project and program managers dedicated to finding the most innovative and appropriate solutions to create, enhance, and sustain all projects assigned to DRC. The firm has won several awards for engineering excellence, including the American Public Works Association and the Los Angeles Council of Engineers and Scientists.

 

DRC maintains multi-year contracts with the City of Los Angeles, Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and numerous water agencies, special districts, and municipal clients. DRC has met or exceeded the requirements on every contract. We consistently receive high performance ratings, client commendations, and a high rate of follow-on and repeat business. A trusted partner to our clients, we draw together teams of engineers, planners, architects, landscape architects, environmental specialists, economists, scientists, consultants, as well as cost construction, project and program managers dedicated to finding the most innovative and appropriate solutions to create, enhance, and sustain all projects assigned to DRC. The firm has won several engineering excellence awards from the American Public Works Association and the Los Angeles Council of Engineers and Scientists.

Key People

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Awards and Commendations

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“I have always considered what we did to be a model for SBE companies and I am so proud to have been able to contribute to that. The impact DRC has had, from its humble beginnings, on the lives of your employees and your clients is remarkable. This is why we do what we do, and I am so glad to have been a part of this journey. I could always count Wanda Martinez as one of my dear friends.”

 

Douglas J. Serano, PE, F.ASCE, ENV-SP, Diplomate.PE

Director of Program Management, Port of Long Beach, CA

 

Click here for Lower Mission Creek Flood Control, “2015-2016 Project of the Year Award” –APWA, California Central Coast Chapter

Click here to read the Lower Mission Creek Reach 1A Letter of Appreciation

Click here to read the APWA Award Letter

 

City of LA honors Wanda Martinez, CEO of D R Consultants

 

For Release: Friday, June 27, 2014

 

Wanda Martinez, Chief Executive Officer of D R Consultants & Designers, Inc., was honored June 26 by the City of Los Angeles for her work on behalf of minority and woman owned small business. At ceremonies attended by approximately 200, she received a plaque from John L. Reimer, Jr. Inspector of Public Works and Director of the Bureau of Contract Administration for the City of Los Angeles.

 

The event, hosted at the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP), commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1994.

 

Ms. Martinez founded her Los Angeles-based civil engineering firm, D R Consultants & Designers, Inc., in 1983. For the last 30 years, she has worked to promote the use of minority and woman owned small businesses to governmental policy makers and business leaders.

 

“Your staff was excellent to work with through this most recent project, as always.”

 

Jonathan S. Frye, PE, CFM

Engineering Manager

Santa Barbara County Flood Control & Water Conservation District

130 East Victoria Street Suite 200

Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Telephone 805-568-3440

Direct 805-568-3444

FAX 805-568-3434

 

Lower Mission Creek Flood Control Project

Santa Barbara County, flood Control and City of Santa Barbara

APWA Project of the Year, 2015-2016

 

” D R Consultants (formerly Dean Ryan Consultants) Project Engineer, Dr. Fang Lee, P.E., Ph.D, more than justified the consultants professional fee with his idea of removing from the design the “air gap” vault. After a careful evaluation of his suggestion, we arrived at the conclusion that in fact the air gap vault was not needed. This design change, in my opinion, will save LADWP at least a couple of million dollars in construction and a few more million in operation costs during the life of the project.”

 

Raul Banuelos, P.E.

Manager of Major Projects

Water Engineering & Technical Services Division

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power

(213) 367-0818

 

“Under your contract with the Federal Highway Administration, Dean Ryan Consultants completed a very complex Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on proposed improvements to Forest highway 137, Wentworth Springs Road. I want to express my appreciation to your firm for its excellent work. This EIS on our highly controversial project was prepared under Court direction and had to be outstanding in every way. It was! I commend the excellence and professionalism of the Dean Ryan staff and their dedication to their work. The final EIS is thorough, well organized, well written, well illustrated, and logical in its analysis and conclusions. The work was performed under tight time constraints and was completed on time and to the highest quality.”

 

Larry Smith, P. E., Division Engineer,

Federal Highway Administration

Central Federal Lands Highway Division

(720) 963-3500

 

“I have worked with Wanda Martinez for the past ten (10) years collaborating on a wide variety of engineering projects for the City of Los Angeles, West Basin MWD, and the US Army Corps of Engineers. I and others from CH2M HILL look to Wanda and her firm, D R Consultants (formerly Dean Ryan Consultants), as one of the top quality local small business engineering consulting firms in the Los Angeles region. Wanda possesses a strong understanding of the transportation and municipal infrastructure engineering business and technical disciplines. Wanda and D R Consultants (formerly Dean Ryan Consultants) is one of our preferred providers of professional engineering for projects in Southern California.”

 

Dave Jones, P.E., Vice President/Principal Engineer

Los Angeles Office, CH2M HILL

 

Performance Rating: Exceptional.

 

Harshad Shaw, P. E.

(213) 485-3329

Program Manager

City of Los Angeles

Bureau of Engineering

Wastewater Conveyance Engineering Division.

 

City of Los Angeles, Bureau of Engineering, Environmental Engineering Division, Engineering Support Services, 5-year contract, $5,000,000.00.

 

“DR Consultants (formerly Dean Ryan) exhibited exceptional responsiveness and cooperation.”

Performance Rating:Above Standard.

 

Mr. Ralph Phraner

(951) 928-3777 ext. 4482

U. S. Army Corps of Engineers

Los Angeles District

 

Eastern Municipal Water District, Task Order for the design and installation of test wells in support of the Perris II DeSalter Project. Test well construction and testing to confirm well yields, groundwater quality and aquifer hydraulic properties for development of brackish groundwater to supply the Perris II De Salter Project. $1M Task Order.

 

“Dean Ryan did an excellent job in responding accurately and professionally to last-minute changes in scope of work, requirements on the part of the Corps of Engineers for the project."

Performance Rating: Exceptional.

 

Bob Steward

(213) 452-3811.

Project Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,

Los Angeles District.

 

San Jacinto River Watershed Feasibility Study, Project Management Plan.

 

“Your focus on Client Satisfaction and timely, fairly priced work has made Dean Ryan a sought after company within the Corps.”

Performance Evaluation: Exceptional.

 

Harland Kroll, Resident Engineer,

(213) 452-3807.

U. S. Army Corps of Engineers,

Los Angeles District

 

DESIGN-BUILD OF SCIF TRAINING FACILITY, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, Vandenberg Airforce Base

 

“DR Consultants (formerly Dean Ryan) provided design and construction oversight services necessary to change an unsightly stream facility into an asthetically pleasing permanent man-made stream and water feature within Griffith Park. Services included detailed design of recycling pumps, landscaping, hydraulics design, channel design, cost estimates and engineering/construction documents package including all necessary drawings, details and equipment lists”.

Overall Performance Rating: Exceptional.

 

Anselmo G. Collins, P.E.

Senior Project Manager

(213) 367-0440.

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power

 

Project Name: Knoll Hill Road and Park Improvement Project, Port of Los Angeles.

 

Congratulations! The Los Angeles Council of Engineers and Scientists have selected your project for an achievement

award. The uniqueness and technical accomplishments of your project were the primary reasons for

selection. Congratulations on being selected for this prestigious award! We look forward to presenting

this award at the Banquet on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2009.

Click here to read more.

 

"This EIS on our highly controversial project had to be outstanding in every way. it was!" 

 

Under your contract with Federal Highway Administration, D R Consultants  & Designers ( Formerly Dean Ryan) has completed a very complex Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on proposed improvements to Forest Highway 137, Wentworth Springs Road. I want to express my appreciation to your firm for its excellent work.

 

This EIS on our highly controversial project was prepared under Court direction and has to be outstanding in every way. It was! I commend the excellence and professionalism of the Dean Ryan staff and their dedication to their work. The final EIS is thorough, well organized, well written, well-illustrated, and logical in its analysis and conclusions. The work was performed under tight time constraints and was completed on time and to a high quality.

 

Please Extend my thanks to the members of your staff who performed so admirably on this difficult project.

 

Larry C. Smith, P.E.

Division Engineer

Central Federal Lands- Highway Division

 

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on proposed improvements to Forest Highway 137, Wentworth Springs Road.

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