REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: BROCK D. BUCHE, PE, PLS, Director
Department of Public Utilities
BY: JESUS A. GONZALEZ, PE, Public Utilities Manager
Department of Public Utilities - Utilities Planning & Engineering
SARAH AGUILA, Supervising Engineering Technician
Department of Public Utilities - Utilities Planning & Engineering
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the Re-bid of Access Structure Rehabilitation in Jensen Avenue from Fruit Avenue to Cherry Avenue (Bid File 3870) (Council District 3, Fresno County):
1. Adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption pursuant to Section 15302/Class 2 of the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines (CEQA)
2. Award a construction contract to Floyd Johnston Construction, Inc., of Clovis, California, in the amount of $843,262
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that City Council adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption pursuant to Section 15302/Class 2 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines for the Re-bid of Sewer Access Structure Rehabilitation in Jensen Avenue from Fruit Avenue to Cherry Avenue (Project); award a construction contract for the Project to Floyd Johnston Construction, Inc., in the amount of $843,262; and authorize the Director of Public Utilities, or designee, to sign and execute all documents on behalf of the City of Fresno (City).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Rehabilitation of the City’s sewer access structures is essential to maintaining the long-term operations of this infrastructure. The nineteen sewer access structures covered under this project were identified through a facilities assessment investigation. After a competitive bidding process, the Department of Public Utilities, Wastewater Management Division, is seeking to award a construction contract to rehabilitate the nineteen sewer access structures. The bid will expire on June 29, 2022.
BACKGROUND
The Collection System Maintenance workgroup is responsible for maintaining the City’s sewer infrastructure amongst which there are over 23,600 sewer access structures. The purpose of these structures is to allow access for inspection and cleaning of the sanitary sewers. Rehabilitation of these access structures will assist in extending the life of the existing system and eliminate structural deficiencies and corrosion caused by hydrogen sulfide. The Project consists of rehabilitating nineteen access structures on Jensen Avenue between Fruit and Cherry Avenues.
The Project was originally advertised on October 29, 2021. The plans and specifications were distributed to fourteen prospective bidders and posted at eleven Building Exchanges. One sealed bid proposal was received and publicly opened on November 30, 2021. The sole bid amount was $863,442.00, 52.8% above the engineers estimate. For this reason, the original bid was rejected.
Following evaluation and preparation of the Project’s re-bid plans and specifications, a Notice Inviting Bids was published on April 1, 2022, and posted on the City’s Planet Bids website. The plans and specifications were distributed to fifteen prospective bidders and posted at eleven Building Exchanges. Two sealed bid proposals were received and publicly opened on April 26, 2022. The bid proposals were $843,262 and $846,836 with Floyd Johnston Construction, Inc., determined to be the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, with the bid amount of $843,262. The bid will expire within 64 days of bid opening, on June 29, 2022.
The staff determination was posted on the City’s Planet Bids website on Friday, May 6, 2022. Staff recommends that City Council award a construction contract to Floyd Johnston Construction, Inc., in the amount of $843,262, as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. Their bid price is 4.17% below the Engineer’s Estimate of $880,000.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Staff has performed a preliminary environmental assessment of this Project and has determined it falls within the Categorical Exemption for existing facilities set forth in Section 15302(c)/Class 2 (Replacement or Reconstruction). CEQA Guidelines exempts from the provisions of CEQA, projects consisting of the replacement or reconstruction of existing utility systems and/or facilities involving negligible or no expansion of capacity. This approval will involve rehabilitation of damaged and deteriorated existing sewer access structures and replace an existing failing access structure with a new one. This replacement will result in negligible expansion of capacity. Therefore, it is categorically exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines 15302(c). Furthermore, staff has determined that none of the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions set forth in the CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2 apply to this Project. Therefore, the necessary environmental review required by the CEQA has been completed for the Project.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
The lowest responsive and responsible bidder is a local business pursuant to the Fresno Municipal Code Section 4-108(a). It is located within a 25 mile radius of Fresno City Hall.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact to the General Fund. Funding for this Project is included in the Fiscal Year 2022 capital improvement budget within the Wastewater Management Division’s Sewer Enterprise Fund 40501. The Project is located in Council District 3.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Notice of Exemption
Attachment 2 - Environmental Assessment
Attachment 3 - Bid Evaluation and Fiscal Impact Statement
Attachment 4 - Sample Contract
Attachment 5 - Vicinity Map