DATE: September 10, 2024
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Award Contract 23-28-C County Service Area 44C Water Facility Improvements
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Approve proposed Amendments to the County of Fresno’s American Rescue Plan Act - State and Local Recovery Fund (ARPA-SLFRF) expenditure plan by redesignating available (ARPA-SLFRF) funds to increase the budget for the Water Distribution System Improvements for Riverview Subdivision (County Service Area 44C) program by $400,000 from $400,000 to $800,000.
2. Adopt plans and specifications for 23-28-C County Service Area 44C Water Facility Improvements and award to West Valley Construction Company, Inc., 603 Campbell Technology Parkway, Campbell, CA 95008, in the total amount of $447,750, including the base bid and all of the additive bids.
REPORT
Approval of the first recommended action will amend the County’s ARPA-SLFRF expenditure plan and redesignate $400,000 in funding availability from the Department’s cost savings on other ARPA-SLFRF projects and increase funding availability for water distribution improvements for the River View Subdivision (CSA No. 44C) program. The second recommended action will adopt the plans and specifications and award the project to West Valley Construction Company, Inc. This item pertains to a location in District 5.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board not approve the recommended actions, the approved ARPA-SLFRF amounts for the water distribution improvements for CSA No. 44C will remain the same and will be delayed or not completed until another funding source becomes available for the Department to pursue.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The anticipated contract construction cost for the project, based on the negotiated bid, and the Director’s allowance for change orders of $34,887, is $482,637. The electrical work on this project will be completed through an existing on-call agreement with the County’s contractor, AC Electric, at a cost of $11,450. The water storage tank has been purchased from Superior Tank at a cost of $148,986. The total funds needed for this project, including design and construction engineering costs of $156,927, are estimated at $800,000. It is requested that your Board approve the reassignment of $400,000 in available funds to address funding need to fully implement the water distribution improvements for CSA No. 44C program.
Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department of Public Works and Planning - Org 8870 FY 2024-25 Proposed Budget. Costs for the recommended actions will be reimbursed through Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector Org 1033 - Disaster Claiming, Fund 0026, Subclass 91021. Any costs associated with the implementation of each project that exceed the Department’s ARPA-SLFRF allocation will be assessed by the Department and accounted for in the Department’s future budgets.
DISCUSSION:
On December 13, 2022, the Board approved two ARPA-SLFRF allocations to the Department of Public Works and Planning. $2,300,000 was allocated to water meter replacements and new water meters. $400,000 was allocated to water facility improvements at CSA 44C. On June 4, 2024, your Board approved a reduction in scope and budget to $1,900,000. The first recommended action requests to reallocate those funds ($400,000) to the CSA 44C water facility project.
CSA 44C is an unincorporated community within Fresno County that receives direct water and wastewater operations and maintenance services from the Special District Administration. CSA 44C’s water storage tank was inspected and determined to need replacement due to deterioration. In contrast to the water meter project described above, the water facility improvements project at CSA 44C is of a higher relative priority than the water meters project since it involves water distribution rather than water conservation. Therefore, the Department recommends that the lowest priority locations identified for new water meters at CSAs 23 and 5 be removed from the scope and the funds allocated for these be used to fully fund the water distribution improvements at CSA44C.
The work to be done, consists, in general, of replacing the existing aging water storage tank and related equipment for the water distribution system and groundwater wells for the purpose of supplying potable water to CSA 44C. Additive bid items included are the installation of a new hydropneumatic tank and related equipment, installation of electronic communication hardware, demolition of the existing storage tank, and removal of the existing hydropneumatic tank and equipment.
While this project was advertised to contractors in accordance with Fresno County Ordinance Code 4.08.030 and 4.08.050, as well as the California Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act (CUPCCAA) and section 22034 of the Public Contract Code, no bids were received. A contractor database of potential contractors is maintained by the Department and the Notice to Bidders was emailed on March 5, 2024 to a total of 263 contractors and 25 planrooms and exchanges, including those required by CUPCCAA. On March 11, 2024, the project was also advertised in the Business Journal, meeting the requirements to advertise at least fourteen calendar days before the date of the bid opening. Nine people registered as planholders and an onsite pre-bid conference was held on March 22, 2024, which was attended by two people representing one firm.
A bid opening was held on April 11, 2024. Since no bids were received, in accordance with Public Contract Code section 22038(c), West Valley Construction was selected under a negotiated contract. West Valley’s bid of $447,750 was 5% lower than the engineer’s estimate of $471,500. However, the engineer’s estimate included the cost of the tank ($148,986), which was subsequently purchased by the Department in order to reduce the delay involved in negotiating the contract.
CEQA Analysis and Conclusion
Plans and Specifications for the project was prepared by Department Staff and are on file with the Department. Department staff has determined that the project is categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA under Section 15301(b) - Existing Facilities. It is anticipated that construction will commence in late July 2024 and be completed by December 2024.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #42, June 4, 2024
BAI #64, December 13, 2022
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Location Map
On file with Clerk - Budget Transfer Form
CAO ANALYST:
George Uc