REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: BROCK D. BUCHE, PE, PLS, Director
Department of Public Utilities
BY: PETER A. MARACCINI, PE, PHD, Licensed Engineer Manager
Department of Public Utilities - Utilities Planning & Engineering
SARAH AGUILA, Supervising Engineering Technician
Department of Public Utilities - Utilities Planning & Engineering
SUBJECT
Title
Approve a consultant services agreement with Black & Veatch Corporation, for design of Dewatering Cake Pump Improvements at the Fresno-Clovis Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility for an amount not to exceed $637,686 (Bid File 12400070) (Citywide)
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that City Council approve a consultant services agreement with Black & Veatch Corporation, in the amount not to exceed $637,686, inclusive of $50,000 in contingency, for the design of Dewatering Cake Pump Improvements at the Fresno-Clovis Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility (Project); and authorize the Director of Public Utilities, or designee, to sign the agreement on behalf of the City of Fresno (City).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Progressive cavity cake pumps and their associated slip ring injection pumps transfer dewatered Class B biosolids from the dewatering station to the silos from which the biosolids are loaded into trucks and hauled offsite. Due to repeated breakdowns of the pumps, the Department of Public Utilities - Wastewater Management Division (WMD) completed an alternatives analysis to identify a reliable and cost-effective solution. The selected alternative will entail removal of three existing progressing cavity cake pumps and their associated slip ring injection pumps, and replacing them with four shaftless screw conveyors and associated piston cake pumps (Project). After a competitive consultant selection process, the Department of Public Utilities seeks Council’s approval of a consultant services agreement with Black & Veatch Corporation, for design and bidding support of the Project for the amount not to exceed $637,686.
BACKGROUND
The current dewatering system consists of three centrifuges, each with a dedicated screw conveyer and progressing cavity pump. As the current system stands, any malfunction in any one of the three process lines would incapacitate the whole system. Due to operations and maintenance issues, the WMD contracted an outside consultant to evaluate the sludge handling system and propose alternative designs to mitigate the system issues. Based on the evaluation, the WMD selected inclined screw conveyors to piston cake pumps as the preferred solution.
In accordance with Fresno Municipal Code Chapter 4, Article 1, and Administrative Order 6-19, the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) conducted a competitive process in soliciting qualified consultants to provide professional services for the Dewatering Cake Pump Improvements project. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) was published in the Business Journal and posted on the City’s Planet Bids website on July 10, 2023. One Statement of Qualifications (SOQs) was received by the submission deadline of August 4, 2023. A selection committee, consisting of representatives from Utilities Planning & Engineering Division evaluated the submitted SOQ and determined that the Black & Veatch Corporation meets the RFQ criteria prepared by DPU. Staff recommends approving a consultant services agreement with Black & Veatch Corporation.
The consultant services agreement has been approved by the City Attorney’s Office. Upon approval by the City Council, the consultant services agreement will be executed by the Director of Public Utilities, or designee.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
By the definition of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378, the award of this consultant services agreement is not a “Project” for the purposes of CEQA.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented per Fresno Municipal Code Section 4-109(b)(3), as staff believes there are less than three local firms providing the specific consulting service within the area of expertise for the subject matter of work.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact to the General Fund. Funding for this Project is included in the Fiscal Year 2024 capital improvement budget within the Wastewater Management Division’s Sewer Enterprise Fund 4500-4501.
Attachments:
Consultant Services Agreement
Vicinity Map