DATE: February 25, 2025
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Reject Bids for Contract 24-11-PR Choinumni Park Improvements
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Reject all bids for Contract 24-11-PR Choinumni Park Improvements, State of California Department of Parks and Recreation Project No. RG-10-001.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action would reject all bids received as the Regional Park Program (RPP) grant amount is insufficient to cover the lowest base bid. The project will be re-advertised with revisions to the items listed as base and additive bids, so that the project costs stay within the RPP funding or additional funding can be identified. This item pertains to a location in District 5.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There is no viable alternative action, as the allocated RPP grant funding does not provide sufficient funds to construct the improvements, based on the lowest bid.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. This project is funded through the RPP grant, and costs incurred for this project were also funded through the RPP grant. Future maintenance requirements will be allocated within the Parks Org 7910 Budget. There is no local match contribution required for the RPP Grant.
DISCUSSION:
Choinumni Park, located in Sanger on 26501 Pine Flat Road, is a highly popular location that generates annual revenue through park entrance and camping fees, especially during the holiday weekends and summer months; however, the campground and facilities within the park are outdated, lack amenities, and do not comply with today’s standards, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act.
On November 2, 2021, the Board approved the filing of an application for the Regional Park Program Grant funds, a State of California Department of Parks and Recreation program that is funded by Proposition 68, California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 (2018 Parks and Water Bond Act), in the total amount of $3,000,000. This grant requires the grantee to ensure operation and maintenance of the project site for 30 years.
On June 20, 2023, the Board approved a budget resolution to increase revenues and expenditures for Parks Org 8867 based on the State’s approval of the grant application in August 2022.
The planned work for the project consists of improvements to Choinumni Park’s existing campsites, picnic and barbecue areas, fire pits, electrical and plumbing, roads and parking lots, as well as constructing and installing new signs, restrooms and septic systems, hiking trails, a playground play area, and game sites that would include horseshoe pits and cornhole boards. This project includes additive bid items that would construct six new informational trail kiosks, solar-powered lighting, basketball and volleyball courts, and additional pavement treatments.
On December 10, 2024, the Department issued a Notice to Bidders for the Project, using the Department’s standard instructions and construction template, with the exception that the lowest bidder would be determined using the base bid only, the lowest bid prices on the base contract, without consideration of the prices of any of the above additive bid items. Department staff relied upon the expertise of the project consultant, A&M Consulting Engineers, to provide a construction estimate. The project consultant estimated that the base bid would cost $2,514,944, which would allow the grant to cover the consultant and staff costs in addition to the construction costs. The Department received eight bids on January 16, 2025. The low base bid of $2,941,334.00, from Avison Construction, Inc., was $426,390 or 16.95% higher than the engineer’s estimate of $2,514,944.00. The total bid, including additives, from Avison Construction, Inc., was $437,835 or 14.11% higher than the engineer’s estimate of $3,103,575. A list of bidders and their respective bid amounts is shown below:
Bidder Base Bid Amount Additive 1-5 Total Bid Amount
Avison Construction, Inc. $2,941,334.00 $600,076.00 $3,541,410.00
Truxell & Valentino Landscape
Development, Inc. $3,020,018.50 $780,365.35 $3,800,383.85
Cal Valley Construction, Inc. $3,186,070.75 $655,257.00 $3,841,327.75
Katch Environmental, Inc.
dba Katch General $3,291,977.94 $728,120.00 $4,020,097.94
Harris Development Corp.
dba HBC Enterprises $3,414,435.69 $801,832.76 $4,216,268.45
Clean Cut Landscape Inc $3,525,849.25 $665,081.30 $4,190,930.55
JPB Designs Inc $3,599,820.00 $944,930.00 $4,544,750.00
American Paving Co. $4,533,191.00 $797,505.00 $5,330,696.00
Upon your Board’s rejection of the bids, the Department will re-advertise for bids. Staff will restructure the bid items to decrease the base scope to ensure most of the project can be funded within the limits of the grant. Staff will also work to identify other funding sources for the project. Upon holding a second bid opening the Department will return to your Board with the results. Although not ideal, the slight delay associated with rebidding the project will not cause the project to miss funding deadlines, nor will it negatively impact the health and safety of the community.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #41, November 2, 2021
BAI #79, June 20, 2023
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Location Map
Bid Summary
CAO ANALYST:
Salvador Espino