REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
June 11, 2015
FROM: THOMAS C. ESQUEDA, Director
Department of Public Utilities
BY: MICHAEL CARBAJAL, Division Manager
Department of Public Utilities - Water Division
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the Final Design of Phase 2 of the Regional Transmission Mains Project (Council Districts 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7)
1. ***RESOLUTION - 51st amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution (AAR) No. 2014-95 to appropriate $2,874,800 for the Final Design of the City of Fresno's Phase 2 Regional Transmission Mains Project and to transfer the project funding from the 2015 Water Revenue Bond Fund to the DBCP Recovery Fund (Requires 5 affirmative votes)
2. Approve Professional Consultant Services Agreement with Blair, Church & Flynn Consulting Engineers, a California Corporation for $2,836,195 for the Final Design of the City of Fresno's Phase 2 Regional Transmission Mains
3. Authorize the Director of Public Utilities, or their designee, to sign all documents on behalf of the City of Fresno
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the 51st Amendment to the AAR No. 2014-95, approve a Professional Consultant Services Agreement with Blair, Church & Flynn Consulting Engineers, a California Corporation for $2,836,195 for the Final Design of the City of Fresno's Phase 2 Regional Transmission Mains, and authorize the Director of Public Utilities or their designee to sign the Agreement.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The continued over-utilization of the City of Fresno's (City) groundwater aquifer together with increasing demand and ever more stringent water quality standards now warrant implementation of the design, construction, and operation of a new surface water treatment facility and Regional Transmission Mains (RTM). Approval of this consultant agreement will support the objectives and goals set forth in the City's Metropolitan Water Resources Management Plan Update and in the City's Urban Water Management Plan, to stabilize and replenish our aquifer to a balanced and sustainable condition by the year 2025. In conjunction with a new Southeast Surface Water Treatment Facility (SESWTF), the RTMs are required to convey the treated surface water to the City's existing water distribution system.
BACKGROUND
The City of Fresno (City) has a service area that covers nearly 114 square miles and serves approximately 513,000 residential customers and 35,000 commercial and industrial accounts. The City's water demands are approximately 130,000 acre-feet annually, which is met by 86% groundwater and 14% treated surface water. Groundwater production is achieved by utilization of approximately 260 active municipal wells, while treated surface water is provided by the City's existing 30-million gallons per day (mgd) Northeast Surface Water Treatment Facility (NESWTF). The NESWTF commenced operations in 2004.
Although the City has an existing surface water treatment facility and an aggressive intentional groundwater recharge program, groundwater overdraft problems continue. Through this project, expansion of its use of existing surface water entitlements will aid in meeting the City's current and future goals for a balanced and sustainable water supply. The City has completed and is in the process of implementing the key recommendations contained in the Metropolitan Water Resources Management Plan Update (Metro Plan).
A key element of the Metro Plan is to construct the Southeast Surface Water Treatment Facility (SESWTF) to be located between North Fowler and Armstrong Avenues, and East Olive and Floradora Avenues. The proposed RTMs are required to convey treated surface water from the proposed SESWTF and the existing NESWTF to the City's Transmission Grid Mains and distribution system. The Phase 2 RTMs will convey water from the SESWTF through a network of approximately 13 miles of large diameter pipelines. Schematic design of the Phase 2 RTMs is substantially complete, and the next phase of work will include detailed design and bidding services for as many as five construction packages.
In accordance with Fresno Municipal Code Chapter 4, Article 1, and Administrative Order 6-19, the Department of Public Utilities conducted a competitive process to select consultants to provide professional services to perform final design of the RTMs. Announcements were published on February 3, 2015 in the Fresno Business Journal and on PlanetBids Online requesting that interested consultants contact the Water Division to obtain a request for qualifications (RFQ) for this project. The Water Division received requests from 35 consulting firms and distributed RFQs to each. The RFQ requested that consultants provide a statement of qualifications (SOQ) by February 23, 2015, and the Water Division received eleven SOQs by the due date. The SOQs were evaluated by a selection committee consisting of representatives from the Water Division, Wastewater Management Division, and Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District, and the selection committee elected to proceed with interviewing six firms. Upon completion of the interview, and scope and fee negotiation process, Blair, Church & Flynn Consulting Engineers ("Consultant") was selected as being best to meet the City's needs for this project.
The services required by this Agreement will be completed in approximately 547 consecutive calendar days from the authorization to proceed. The contract is for a not to exceed amount of $2,836,195, paid on a time and materials basis.
A standardized consultant service agreement has been used in accordance with Administrative Order 4-4, and the consultant's Certificates of Insurance have been approved by the City's Risk Management Division. Upon approval by the City Council, the agreement will be executed by the Director of Public Utilities or designee, who has been delegated this authority by the City Manager.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
The approval of the Agreement is not a project for the purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA"), pursuant to CEQA guidelines Section 15378.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was implemented because the Consultant is a local firm as defined by Fresno Municipal Code 4-109(b).
FISCAL IMPACT
The expenditure, which is citywide, will not have any impact to the General Fund. Appropriations for Final Design of the City of Fresno's Phase 2 Regional Transmission Mains are included in the Water Division's FY2015 Capital Improvement Program budget. However, this project was originally budgeted in the 2015 Water Revenue Bond Fund (40184). Since no bonds will be issued during FY 2015, no actual proceeds revenue will be available for funding this project. Funds are available in the DBCP Recovery Fund (40110). An amendment to the AAR is necessary to reappropriate funds from current projects within the DBCP Recovery Fund to cover the cost of this project. The other existing projects in the DBCP Recovery Fund for Granular Activated Carbon and Surface Water Treatment Plant Improvements will be funded in future fiscal years.
Attachments:
1. 51st Amendment to AAR No. 2014-95
2. Consultant Agreement