DATE: July 7, 2020
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Award Contract No. 19-18-CD (Re-Bid), Wastewater Treatment Improvements at the El Porvenir and Cantua Creek Facilities
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Approve an increase in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds provided for the El Porvenir and the Cantua Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements, Community Development Block Grant Projects Nos. 18291 and 18091, increasing the maximum funds provided for these projects by $400,000 to a total of $900,000; and
2. Make a determination in accordance with Administrative Policy No. 34 that “unusual or extraordinary circumstances” exist that allow sole source procurement of filtration and control equipment based on the Board’s express finding that specification by brand or trade name of the aeration system for use in County Service Area 30 & 32 is consistent with the provisions of Public Contract Code Section 3400(c)(2) and 3400(c)(3); and authorize staff’s incorporation of this sole sourced system and its components in the project design and construction; and
3. Adopt Plans and Specifications for Contract 19-18-CD (Re-Bid), Wastewater Treatment Improvements at the El Porvenir and Cantua Creek Facilities, and award to the low bidder, Dawson-Mauldin Construction, 1071 E. Nebraska Avenue, Selma, CA, including the base bid and all the additive bids, in the total amount of $640,648.
REPORT
Approval of the first recommended action will provide an additional $210,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to the El Porvenir Wastewater Treatment Plant Project and an additional $190,000 in CDBG funds to the Cantua Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant Project which were included in the FY 2018-19 Action Plan. The total combined Project costs are estimated at $900,000.
Approval of the second recommended action would approve the Department’s incorporation of a purchased sole-sourced prepackaged aeration system for use in construction of the improvements.
Approval of the third recommended action will award the contract to construct the Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements at the El Porvenir and Cantua Creek Wastewater Treatment Plants to the low bidder. These facilities serve County Service Area Nos. 30 (El Porvenir) and 32 (Cantua Creek). This item pertains to locations in District 1.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If your Board does not approve the recommended actions, the projects may be delayed or not constructed.
SUSPENSION OF COMPETITION/SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT:
Administrative Policy No. 34 provides for a suspension of competition when there are unusual or extraordinary circumstances where the Board of Supervisors determines that the best interests of the County would not be served by securing competitive solicitations. The aeration system represents the best available fit to ensure the desired improvement of system capabilities to in coordination with existing operational conditions at these plants.
The current aeration system consists of floating aerators with propellers to provide oxygen transfer for treatment of the wastewater. These types of aerators very frequently become clogged with the incoming waste that flows into the plant such as toilet paper and diapers. The operators are continually required to pull the existing aerators out of the ponds in order to “detangle” all the clogs from the propellers. The new aeration system, the patented Wastewater Treatment Lagoon Aeration System, will help reduce clogging and thereby reduce operational costs of the WWTPs. The sole source request has been reviewed and approved by the Purchasing Manager. The purchased equipment will be furnished to the contractor for installation.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. All costs incurred for the Project are funded through the CDBG program. The combined total estimated cost for these projects will increase from $500,000 to $900,000 due to increased construction costs. These costs include: design ($65,000), contract construction (based on the low bid of $640,648 and the Director’s change order allowance of $44,532), construction engineering ($69,757) and agency-furnished materials ($80,063). Funding will be included in the Department’s FY 2020-21 Org 7205 Proposed Budget.
DISCUSSION:
On June 5, 2018, your Board approved the 2018-19 Unincorporated Area Projects list as part of the Annual Action Plan, which included the El Porvenir and Cantua Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvement Projects. The projects combined were allocated $500,000 in CDBG funds on a reimbursement basis to add headworks, replace the aeration systems, and install a flow metering system at each of the wastewater treatment plants. Additionally, at El Porvenir, the pond liner requires repair and the levee adjacent to the aeration pond will need to be regraded.
On January 21, 2020, the Department advertised the projects and held the first bid opening on February 20, 2020. The one bid received from W.M. Lyles for $691,257, was $334,957, or 94%, higher than the engineer’s estimate of $356,300. On March 24, 2020, your Board rejected this bid.
On April 14, 2020, the Department re-advertised the projects and held a second bid opening on May 14, 2020. The one bid received from Dawson-Mauldin for $640,648 was $284,348, or 80%, higher than the engineer’s estimate of $356,300.
As part of the FY 2018-19 Fresno County Action Plan your Board approved $500,000 in CDBG funds for the Projects ($250,000 for each facility, including design and administrative costs). On July 1, 2020, the County’s Housing and Community Development Citizens Advisory Committee approved the request for an additional $400,000 in CDBG funding to allow for the project’s construction to be completed contingent upon the Board’s approval.
Plans and specifications for the Project were prepared by the Department’s Design Division and are on file at the Design Division at 2220 Tulare Street, 7th Floor, Fresno, CA 93721. Construction is anticipated to begin in August 2020 and be completed in January 2021.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #48, March 24, 2020
BAI #13, June 5, 2018
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Location Maps
Sole Source Acquisition Request
Site Improvements
CAO ANALYST:
Debbie Paolinelli