Title
Report regarding a resolution to award a construction contract to Flatiron West, Inc. of Benicia, California for the WQCP Effluent Storage Pond Liner Replacement (Project No. ss1704) in an amount not to exceed $716,000, authorize a total construction budget of $859,200, and approve Budget Amendment Number 19.048. (Brian Schumacker, Superintendent and Peter Vorametsanti, Swinerton)
label
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution awarding a construction contract to Flatiron West, Inc. of Benicia, California for the WQCP Effluent Storage Basin Liner Replacement (Project No. ss1704) in an amount not to exceed $716,000 and authorize a total construction budget of $859,200. In addition, staff recommends that the City Council approve Budget Amendment Number 19.048, amending the Fiscal Year 2018-19 Capital Improvement Program budget by appropriating $460,000 in Sewer Enterprise funds into the project budget to cover the planned expenditure.
Body
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The City of South San Francisco operates the South San Francisco-San Bruno Water Quality Control Plant (WQCP), located at 195 Belle Air Road. This critical facility provides secondary wastewater treatment for the Cities of South San Francisco and San Bruno, Town of Colma, and portions of City of Daly City. The total population served by the WQCP is roughly 110,000. Further, the North Bayside System Unit (NBSU) is a joint powers authority composed of the cities of South San Francisco, San Bruno, Burlingame, and Millbrae, and the San Francisco Airport. Treated wastewater from the NBSU agencies undergoes dechlorination and then disposal to the deep-water channel in San Francisco Bay (attached Vicinity Map).
Treated effluent discharge rates to the bay are limited to 64 million gallons per day (MGD) because of pipeline capacity. Due to higher influent flows caused by wet weather, Plant operators temporarily store a portion of the treated effluent in the effluent storage basin. Contractors finished construction of this storage basin in 2004. The effluent storage basin has a capacity of 7 million gallons and a surface area of approximately 145,000 square feet. During construction in 2004, contractors lined the effluent storage basin with a flexible, impermeable geomembrane to control seepage into underlying soils per design specifications. The Water Board now requires that that City replace this aging liner because the original liner installed in 2004 has many areas that have begun to show deterioration.
The City commissioned a replacement design that consists of providing and installing a replacement reinforced polyester geomembrane liner, and making minor spot repairs to the basin’s earthen berm. The construction contract allows 80 working days to complete this work to accommodate completion of the work before the onset of the next wet season when the basin must be returned to service.
Staff advertised a notice inviting bids for the project on February 28, 2019 and March 7, 2018. To generate interest in this bidding opportunity, staff reached out to 46 potential bidders and fabricators including Anderson Pacific, BTL Liner, Environmental Construction, Flatiron, Fab-Seal, Graniterock, Layfield Group, Seaman Corp., and Western Environmental Liner. Swinerton hosted a non-mandatory pre bid conference at the job site on March 12, 2019. Three interested potential bidders attended. On April 26, 2019, the City received one responsive and responsible bid from Flatiron West, Inc. of Benicia, California. The low level of response appears to be due to the specialized nature of this work, the relatively small size of the job as compared to the landfill cell lining these firms specialize in, and the difficulty of coordinating construction on an active treatment plant.
Flatiron West, Inc. is currently on site working on the Wet Weather Digester Expansion Project. Staff expects that Flatiron West will professionally deliver this construction project. Public Works contracts are ordinarily awarded to the lowest responsible bidder whose bid is responsive to the solicitation (Public Contract Code §20166). Staff has verified the bidder’s qualifications and contractor’s license with the Contractor’s Licensing Board and finds it to be in good standing. The liner replacement project is funded from the Sewer Enterprise Fund; therefore, there are no Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) requirements.
The following is a summary of all bids received:
Base Bid Amount
Flatiron West, Inc. of Benicia, California $716,000
The engineer’s estimate is $700,000.
The contract budget is:
Flatiron West, Inc. of Benicia Construction Contract $716,000
Construction Contingency (20%) $143,200
Total Project Budget $859,200
Staff will use the construction contingency for any additional costs related to needed design changes during the construction operations.
FISCAL IMPACT
This project is included in the City of South San Francisco’s Fiscal Year 2018-19 Capital Improvement Program (Project No. ss1704) and is funded by the Sewer Enterprise Fund. Staff requests the approval of Budget Amendment number 19.048 to transfer an additional $460,000 from the Sewer Enterprise Fund into the project budget to cover this project. The City’s adopted sewer rate plan provides revenue to accommodate this transfer.
CONCLUSION
Staff recommends awarding a construction contract to Flatiron West, Inc. of Benicia, California for the installation of a new effluent storage to comply with the Water Board permit requirement and to extend the useful life of this asset. Staff recommends that the City Council approve Budget Amendment 19.048, appropriating $460,000 in Sewer Enterprise funds and amending the Fiscal Year 2018-19 Capital Improvement Program.
Attachments:
1. Vicinity Map