REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: PAUL AMICO, PE, Director
Department of Public Utilities
BY: AHMED ALY, PE, Assistant Director
Department of Public Utilities - Utilities Planning & Engineering
JOSHUA MERTEN, Engineer II
Department of Public Utilities - Utilities, Planning & Engineering
SUBJECT
Title
Approve a Consultant Services Agreement with Carollo Engineers, Inc., a Delaware Corporation, with a term through June 30, 2029 for an amount not to exceed $1,149,875, and a contingency amount not to exceed $115,125, for a total contract amount not to exceed $1,265,000 for the Primary Clarifier Rehabilitation Project at the Fresno Clovis Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility (Bid File No. 12601010) (Council District 3)
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that City Council approve a Consultant Services Agreement with Carollo Engineers, Inc., (Consultant), with a term through June 30, 2029 for an amount not to exceed $1,149,875, and a contingency amount not to exceed $115,125, for a total contract amount not to exceed $1,265,000 to provide condition assessment, design, and bidding services for the Primary Clarifier Rehabilitation Project at the Fresno-Clovis 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
The Fresno-Clovis Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility (RWRF) is operated and maintained by the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) and is the primary wastewater treatment facility for the City of Fresno (City), a portion of the City of Clovis, and certain Fresno County islands and areas within the City sphere of influence. The RWRF treatment process includes primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment, and treated effluent is discharged to percolation ponds for final disposal, groundwater recharge, and reclamation. The RWRF wastewater treatment process includes a primary treatment step that consists of six primary clarifiers that physically remove solids from the wastewater. The clarifiers are large diameter settling basins with both surface skimming equipment and mechanical rakes, and the supporting mechanical and electrical systems. Currently two of the six clarifiers are offline due to worn equipment or electrical failures, and all six clarifiers require a full assessment of their structures, coatings, mechanical, and electrical systems. DPU seeks to contract with the Consultant to assess the primary clarifiers, provide recommendations to renew or replace the existing systems, and design the new improvements that are needed.
BACKGROUND
The RWRF is a secondary biological treatment plant that operates under Wastewater Discharge Requirements (WDR) R5-2018-0080 administered by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. The RWRF is permitted to treat up to 91.5 million gallons per day (MGD) of wastewater, and average daily influent flows are currently approximately 54 MGD. The RWRF includes four distinct parallel treatment trains referred to as A Side, B Side, C Side, and the Tertiary Treatment and Disinfection Facility. The B Side and C Side treatment trains are a secondary treatment process that includes biological treatment reactors followed by sedimentation process that recovers and recycles an active biomass for sustained treatment. The primary treatment process ahead of the biological treatment process removes waste material from wastewater through settlement within large basins which also includes rotating surface skimming equipment and sludge collection rakes and pipelines. This primary treatment process, constructed between 1992 and 1996, is composed of six primary clarifiers, referred to as Primary Clarifiers 5 through 10, and their associated sludge handling, mechanical and electrical systems.
All six primary clarifiers have experienced operating issues with the sludge pumps and electrical systems. Mechanical failures on the sludge collection equipment have also limited the primary clarification system redundancy. In addition, the existing structural components and their associated coating systems have deteriorated and require rehabilitation. In response to these concerns, the City seeks qualified engineering professionals to assess the conditions of the primary clarifiers and recommend the appropriate course of action. The Consultant shall then design the improvements needed to rehabilitate the Primary Clarifiers and restore operational redundancy.
In accordance with Fresno Municipal Code Chapter 4, Article 1 and Administrative Order 6-19, DPU conducted a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process to select a consultant to provide the requisite professional services. The RFQ was posted on the City’s Planet Bids website on February 13, 2026. Two Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) were received by the deadline of March 19, 2026. A selection committee consisting of representatives from DPU evaluated the SOQs and selected Carollo Engineers, Inc. Staff recommends approving a consultant services agreement to Carollo Engineers, Inc. for a total amount not to exceed $1,265,000, including a contingency of a $115,125 contingency.
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed the proposed agreement and approved as to form. Upon approval by the City Council, the consultant service agreement will be executed by the Director of Public Utilities, or designee.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Staff has reviewed the scope and nature of the Project in accordance with the requirements of CEQA and determined this project is exempt from further analysis under Class 1, Section 15301(b) (existing facilities of publicly owned utilities used to provide sewerage or other public utility services) and (d) (restoration or rehabilitation of deteriorated or damaged structures, facilities, or mechanical equipment to meet current standards of public health and safety). The Notice of Exemption form will be filed upon final approval of the construction project.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not considered because Carollo Engineers, Inc., a local firm per the Fresno Municipal Code, was the only local respondent that had the necessary qualifications, experience and expertise to complete the proposed project.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact to the General Fund. Funding for this Project has been identified in the Fiscal Year 2026 Capital Improvement Budget within the Wastewater Management Division’s Wastewater Operating Fund 4500-4501.
Attachments:
Consultant Services Agreement
Environmental Assessment
Notice of Exemption
Vicinity Map
Location Map