REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Randall W. Morrison, PE, Director
Capital Projects Department
BROCK D. BUCHE, PE, PLS, Director
Department of Public Utilities
BY: francisco V. magos II, PE, Assistant Director
Capital Projects Department, Utilities and On-Site Project Management Division
JOSE M. VALENZUELA, Project Manager
Capital Projects Department, Utilities and On-Site Project Management Division
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the Fresno Sanitary Landfill East Slope Regrading and Landfill Gas Collection System Upgrades Project (Bid File No. 12500306) (Council District 3):
1. ***RESOLUTION - Adopting the 22nd Amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution No. 2024-122 appropriating $445,100, for the Fresno Sanitary Landfill East Slope Regrading and Landfill Gas Collection System Upgrades Project. (Requires 5 Affirmative Votes) (Subject to Mayor’s Veto);
2. Award a construction contract in the amount of $3,290,175 for the Base Bid plus all two (2) Add Alternates, with Cal Valley Construction Inc. of Fresno, California, as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the Fresno Sanitary Landfill East Slope Regrading and Landfill Gas Collection System Upgrades Project.
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends the City Council (1) adopt the 22nd Amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution (AAR) No. 2024-122, appropriating $445,100, for the Fresno Sanitary Landfill (FSL) East Slope Regrading and Landfill Gas Collection System Upgrades Project, (2) award a construction contract in the amount of $3,290,175.00, to Cal Valley Construction, Inc., of Fresno, California, as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the Fresno Sanitary Landfill East Slope Regrading and Landfill Gas Collection System Upgrades (Project), and authorize the Capital Projects Department Director or designee to sign and execute all documents on behalf of the City of Fresno (City).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Capital Projects Department seeks to award a contract to Cal Valley Construction, Inc., following a competitive bidding process which identified them as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder in the amount of $3,290,175.
The construction contract with Cal Valley Construction, Inc., will allow for the regrading of the FSL eastern slope affected by differential settlement, the repair of existing eroded surface water management features, the repair of the landfill access road and the replacement of utilities associated with the landfill gas (LFG) collection system in accordance with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) remedial response actions. The USEPA and City’s objective is to continue to protect human health and the environment by repairing the previously constructed landfill closure components described in the Background section of this report. Funding for the Project is provided by the Department of Public Utilities Solid Waste Enterprise Fund and is included in Fiscal Year 2025 Capital Improvement Budget. Approval of the 22nd Amendment to the AAR will appropriate $445,100 to fully fund the construction contract.
BACKGROUND
In August of 1981, the City began the process of closing the FSL which operated from 1935 to 1987. A preliminary assessment conducted by the California Department of Health Services (now the California Department of Toxic Substances Control) found evidence of methane gas migration and volatile organic compounds (VOC) contamination of groundwater. The subject site was subsequently placed on the USEPA’s National Priorities List in 1989 and is regulated through the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). The law authorizes long-term remedial response actions, that permanently and significantly reduce the dangers associated with releases or threats of releases of hazardous substances that are serious, but not immediately life threatening.
The USEPA organized the remedial (cleanup) actions into two Operable Units (OU), OU-1 (source control) which addressed the closure of the landfill, including design and construction of the landfill cover, landfill gas control, and surface water management systems; OU-2 consisted of an investigation followed by design and construction of the groundwater remediation system to address volatile organic compound impacts to the groundwater beneath and downgradient of the FSL. In 1993, the USEPA issued a Record of Decision (ROD) which selected the remedies for the landfill closure and source control, including landfill gas control. The Project scope for this contract rehabilitates the remediation systems of OU-1.
The selected remedial components of OU-1 consist of, (1) A landfill cover system, which includes a series of functional layers (foundation layer, synthetic geomembrane, soil layer to support vegetative growth) that minimizes water infiltration into the underlying refuse, provides erosion control, and acts as a barrier to fugitive landfill emissions, (2) a surface water management system designed to facilitate the rapid removal of surface water runoff from the top deck and side slopes of the landfill cover preventing water infiltration, slope erosion, and minimize off-site impacts related to runoff water quality, (3) a landfill gas migration monitoring system consisting of monitoring probes along the landfill’s perimeter, (4) a landfill gas collection and conveyance system that includes interior gas extraction wells, perimeter gas extraction wells, a blower system, and a piping system to move the LFG to the treatment system, (5) a landfill treatment system (flare) to combust LFG onsite, and (6) a landfill condensate collection system to manage condensate that forms during the conveyance of the LFG. Construction of these OU-1 components occurred between June 2000 and September 2001. Subsequent landfill regrading operations occurred in 2010 and in 2014.
Differential settlement at the surface of the landfill is an ongoing occurrence and is influenced by the decomposition of the waste, age of waste, degree of waste compaction and climatic conditions. The Project includes filling and regrading of the top vegetative layer of the side slopes to restore areas of settlement to its original design grade. Letdown structures that have eroded over time due to climatic conditions will be reconstructed to provide optimal conveyance of stormwater from the side slopes to the perimeter channels that direct collected stormwater to the existing detention basins.
The LFG pipeline that traverses the side slopes to collect land fill gas is prone to clogging due to the accumulation of condensate that impedes gas flow to the landfill treatment system at depressed areas caused by differential settlement. The Project will relocate the LFG conveyance pipeline further upslope from its present location which has experienced significant settlement; and will upgrade related equipment and appurtenances to ensure proper function of the LFG collection system. All work is detailed in the project construction plans and specifications.
The Department of Public Utilities, Solid Waste Division performs ongoing maintenance of remediation systems at the Fresno Sanitary Landfill. CDM Smith Engineering, Inc., provides technical monitoring assistance and design services for both Operable Units. The proposed regrading operations and landfill gas collection system upgrades fall within the remedial design and actions of the USEPA OU-1 and are regulated under CERCLA.
A Notice Inviting Bids was advertised and published on the City’s website, Planet Bids and the Business Journal on August 30, 2024. The Project plans and specifications were distributed to 35 prospective bidders. Two (2) sealed bid proposals were received and publicly opened on October 1, 2024, with bid amounts ranging from $3,290,175 to $4,444,540. Cal Valley Construction, Inc., was determined to be the lowest responsive and responsible bidder in the amount of $3,290,175.00. The bids will expire on December 4, 2024. If the bids are rejected or expire, the Project must be rebid which will result in a delay to the Project.
This contract is covered by the Community Workforce Agreement (PLA), adopted by Council in September 2021. The Cal Valley Construction, Inc., shall become signatory to the PLA by executing the Agreement To Be Bound.
Staff recommends Council adopt the 22nd Amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution No. 2024-122 appropriating $445,100, for the FSL East Slope Regrading and Landfill Gas Collection System Upgrades Project, and award a construction contact in the amount of $3,290,175, to Cal Valley of Fresno, California, as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the Project and authorize the Capital Projects Director or designee to sign and execute all documents on behalf of the City.
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the contract documents as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
This Project is governed by the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). CERCLA applies to federally listed hazardous waste sites, such as the Fresno Municipal Sanitary Landfill. USEPA’s review and approval of the selected remedial actions for the Fresno Municipal Sanitary Landfill under CERCLA are the functional equivalent of environmental review under NEPA. The City has received guidance from the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) that CEQA compliance is not required for remedial actions covered by CERCLA due to both federal and statutory preemption. The proposed Project is entirely within the scope of remedial actions selected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under its authority to administer CERCLA. As such, no further environmental review need be conducted for the proposed Project.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Cal Valley Construction Inc., is a local business, as defined by Fresno Municipal Code Section 4-108.
FISCAL IMPACT
Fresno Sanitary Landfill East Slope Regrading and Landfill Gas Collection System Upgrades Project is located in Council District 3 and will have no impact to the General Fund. Funding for this Project is included in the Fiscal Year 2025 Capital Improvement Budget within the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund. Adoption of the attached 22nd Amendment to the AAR No. 2024-122 will fully fund the construction contract.
Attachments:
22nd Amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution No. 2024-122
Bid Evaluation
Fiscal Impact Statement
Standardized Contract
Vicinity Map
Location Map