DATE: July 9, 2019
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Award Contract No. 18-23-C, San Joaquin River (Redinger Lake) Bridge on Italian Bar Road Replacement Project
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Adopt plans and specifications for Contract 18-23-C, San Joaquin River (Redinger Lake) Bridge on Italian Bar Road Replacement Project, Federal Project No. BRLO-5942(214), and award the construction contract to the lowest responsible bidder, American Paving Co., 315 N. Thorne Avenue, Fresno, CA 93706, in the amount of $7,563,709.90.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will adopt the project plans and specifications and authorize the award of a Federally funded Highway Bridge Program (HBP) project. This item pertains to a location in District 5.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the recommended action is not approved, the San Joaquin River (Redinger Lake) Bridge on Italian Bar Road Replacement Project (Project) will be delayed or will not be constructed.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The anticipated maximum construction cost, based on the low bid and including an allowance for contingencies is $7,773,709.90 [contract ($7,563,709.90) plus change order authorizations ($210,000.00)]. The Project is 100% Federally funded through the HBP. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department of Public Works and Planning’s Road Org 4510 FY 2019-20 Recommended Budget.
DISCUSSION:
The Project will consist, in general, of replacing the one-lane San Joaquin River (Redinger Lake) Bridge on Italian Bar Road with a new two-lane bridge approximately 27 feet downstream from the existing bridge. The Project includes improvements and realignment of approach roads and temporary strengthening of the Whiskey Creek Tributary Bridge in Madera County to facilitate construction equipment access to the site, to which the County of Madera concurs. The existing San Joaquin River Bridge would function as an onsite detour during construction and will be removed after the Project is completed.
It is necessary to construct the Project while water levels are low enough on the river and the weather is suitable to facilitate construction. Southern California Edison Company has identified the low water flow period from October to December where they will be able to regulate water elevations to meet Project needs for the construction of the piers and abutments. Those months will be the only time that construction work will be allowed within the section of the San Joaquin River over to Redinger Lake; therefore, with your Board’s approval the Project will be awarded so that the work window is met. If the Project is delayed further, the County will need to wait until next year to begin construction.
On April 4, 2019, the Department issued a Notice to Bidders relating to the Project, using the Department’s standard instructions and construction contract template for a transportation project. On June 6, 2019, the Department held a bid opening and received three bids for the Project. The apparent low bidder, American Paving Co.’s, bid was $7,563,709.90, which is $2,271,125.05, or 42.91%, higher than the engineer’s estimate of $5,292,584.85. The low bid exceeds the engineer’s estimate due to higher than anticipated cost escalation, requirements to work within Redinger Dam’s low-water periods in light of this year’s high rain and snow pack, and high costs for structural concrete, foundations, bridge removal, mobilization, traffic control, and guard railing. The remote location, difficult terrain, narrow approach roadway, small staging areas, and tight build site conditions may have also impacted the costs.
Subsequent to the bid opening, the Department submitted the necessary documents to California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to request additional funding to cover the low bid. On June 18, 2019, the Department was informed that Caltrans Headquarters approved the request for additional funding.
American Paving Co. was not successful in meeting the Project’s 14% Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goal; however, the Department and Caltrans have determined a good faith effort was made to meet the goal and recommend awarding to American Paving Co., the lowest responsible bidder.
The bidders, their respective bids, and DBE Commitments are shown below:
|
Bidder |
Bid |
DBE Commitment |
|
|
|
(Goal 14%) |
|
American Paving Co. |
$7,563,709.90 |
2.45% |
|
Agee Construction |
$8,379,921.00 |
32.67% (Prime DBE) |
|
Viking Construction Company |
$11,022,298.50 |
3.04% |
Plans and specifications were prepared by the Department’s project consultant, Quincy Engineering, Inc. It is anticipated that construction will begin in August 2019 and will be completed in November 2020.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #50, December 10, 2013
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Location Map
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa