REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: DENIX D. ANBIAH, PE, Director
Capital Projects Department
PAUL AMICO, PE, Interim Director
Department of Public Utilities
BY: francisco V. magos II, PE, Assistant Director
Capital Projects Department, Utilities and On-Site Project Management Division
PATRICIA DIEP, Project Manager
Capital Projects Department, Utilities and On-Site Project Management Division
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the Butler and Eighth Trunk Sewer Repair Project (Bid File No. 12600025) (Council District 5):
1. Adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption per staff’s determination, pursuant to Section 15301/Class 1 and Section 15302/Class 2 of the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines for the Butler and Eighth Sewer Trunk Sewer Repair Project;
2. Award a construction contract in the amount of $974,912.00 to Dawson-Mauldin LLC of Selma, California, as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the Butler and Eighth Trunk Sewer Repair Project.
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that the City Council (1) adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption per staff’s determination, pursuant to Section 15301/Class 1 and 15302/Class 2 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines and (2) award a construction contract to Dawson-Mauldin LLC of Selma, California, in the amount of $974,912 as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the Butler and Eighth Trunk Sewer Repair Project (Project), and authorize the Capital Projects Director or designee to sign the standardized construction contract on behalf of the City of Fresno (City).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Capital Projects Department seeks to award a construction contract to Dawson-Mauldin LLC following a competitive bidding process that determined them to be the lowest responsive and responsible bidder in the amount of $974,912. The City discovered during routine inspection that the crown of the trunk sewer in the intersection of East Butler Avenue and South Eighth Street had completely corroded and a significant void had formed in the soil above the pipe. The surrounding pipelines are also significantly corroded, and replacing these pipelines is needed to prevent structural failure and collapse of the pipelines. The Project includes removing 211 linear feet of 36-inch reinforced concrete pipe and replacing it with 36-inch fiberglass reinforced polymer pipe, removing 20 linear feet of 12-inch vitrified clay pipe and replacing it with polyvinyl chloride pipe, removing four access structures, and installing six new access structures. The construction contract will be funded utilizing appropriations adopted in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Capital Improvement Budget within the Department of Public Utilities’ Sewer Enterprise Fund.
BACKGROUND
The Department of Public Utilities continually performs routine inspection of the large diameter trunk sewer pipelines that convey wastewater to the regional treatment facility, and in March 2024 staff discovered that the crown of a portion of the trunk sewer pipeline in the Butler Avenue and Eighth Street intersection had completely corroded and a significant void had formed in the soil above the pipeline. The inspection also identified significant corrosion of the surrounding pipelines. Replacing the pipelines is needed to prevent the complete structural failure and collapse of the pipelines and the street intersection. The pipeline replacement design was initiated through an On-Call Consultant Services Agreement with Blair, Church & Flynn Consulting Engineers, on April 14, 2025. The Project scope included the preparation of Construction Documents for removing 211 linear feet of 36-inch reinforced concrete pipe and replacing it with 36-inch fiberglass reinforced polymer pipe, removing 20 linear feet of 12-inch vitrified clay pipe and replacing it with polyvinyl chloride pipe, removing four access structures, and installing six new access structures.
A Notice of Inviting Bids was advertised on Planet Bids and posted on the City’s website on July 18, 2025. The project plans and specifications were distributed to twenty-nine (29) prospective bidders and posted at four (4) building exchanges. Three (3) electronic bid proposals were received and publicly opened on August 12, 2025, with the net bid amounts ranging from $974,912 to $1,176,389. Dawson-Mauldin LLC was determined to be the lowest responsive and responsible bidder in the amount of $974,912. The bids will expire on October 15, 2025. If the bids are rejected or expire, the Project must be rebid which will result in a delay to the project.
The Community Workforce Agreement (PLA), adopted by Council in September 2021, does not apply to this contract because the engineer’s estimate for this project was less than $1 million, pursuant to the terms of the PLA.
To restore the structural integrity of the trunk sewer system in this area, staff recommends Council adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption per staff’s determination, pursuant to Section 15301/Class 1 and 15302/Class 2 of the CEQA Guidelines and award a construction contract to Dawson-Mauldin LLC in the amount of $974,912 as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder; and authorize the Capital Projects Director or designee to sign the standardized construction contract on behalf of the City. The construction contract will be funded utilizing appropriations adopted in the FY26 Capital Improvement Budget within the Department of Public Utilities’ Sewer Enterprise Fund
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the construction documents as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Staff performed a preliminary environmental assessment of this Project and determined that it falls within the Categorical Exemptions set forth in CEQA Guidelines Section 15301/Class 1 and Section 15302/Class 2. Because the Project consists of the repair and replacement of existing wastewater infrastructure, will not substantially increase the capacity of the infrastructure, and will be located in the same location as the existing pipeline, staff has determined that the Project qualifies for exemption from CEQA under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301/Class 1 and Section 15302/Class 2.
Furthermore, staff has determined that none of the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions set forth in CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2 apply to this Project. Staff recommend that Council, based upon its own independent judgment, adopt a finding of a Categorical Exemption per Staff determination, pursuant to Sections 15301/Class 1 and 15302/Class 2 of the CEQA Guidelines for the Butler and Eighth Trunk Sewer Repair Project.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Dawson-Mauldin LLC is a local business as defined by Fresno Municipal Code Section 4-108.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Butler and Eighth Trunk Sewer Repair Project is located in Council District 5 and will have no impact to the General Fund. Funding for this Project is included in the Fiscal Year 2026 Capital Improvement Budget within the Department of Public Utilities’ Sewer Enterprise Fund.
Attachments:
Environmental Assessment
Formal Procurement Evaluation Form
Standard Contract
Vicinity Map
Location Map