REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: BROCK D. BUCHE, PE, PLS, Director
Department of Public Utilities
BY: JESUS A. GONZALEZ, PE, Assistant Director
Department of Public Utilities - Utilities Planning & Engineering
CHARLES MASTERS, EIT, Engineer II
Department of Public Utilities - Utilities Planning & Engineering
SUBJECT
Title
Award a consultant services agreement to Akel Engineering Group, Inc. in the amount of $708,000 to prepare the Sanitary Sewer Master Plan (Citywide).
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve a consultant services agreement with Akel Engineering Group, Inc., in the amount of $708,000, inclusive of a $64,000 contingency, for professional engineering services to prepare the Sanitary Sewer Master Plan (Master Plan); and authorize the Director of Public Utilities, or his designee, to sign the agreement on behalf of the City of Fresno (City).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The California State Water Resources Control Board requires periodic updates of sewer system management plans for all collection systems. To accomplish this, the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is seeking an engineering consultant firm to prepare an updated sanitary sewer master plan (master plan), which services to provide both updated infrastructure renewal projects and the needs of a sewer system management plan. Staff recommends that the City Council award a consultant services agreement in the amount of $708,000, inclusive of a $64,000 contingency, to Akel Engineering Group, Inc., to perform this work.
BACKGROUND
A prior master plan was completed in 2015 and adopted by the City Council in June of 2016. An update to the 2015 plan is necessary to capture changes due to completed projects and the City’s growth since the last update, as well as to identify new needs to meet the City’s expected buildout.
The master plan has three major components. The previous flow model will be migrated to a current software platform and updated to reflect sewer system improvements that occurred over the previous ten years. The consultant will analyze photos and videos of the sewer system to determine the state of repair. With the updated flow model and an understanding of the useful remaining life in various sewer system components, the selected consultant will develop a capital improvement project plan that will allow the City to reliably serve current and future customers. The work will be memorialized in a master plan document that DPU will use for future planning efforts.
Following procurement procedures outlined in the Fresno Municipal Code, Chapter 4, Article 1 and Administrative Order 6-19, the DPU sent notifications requesting qualifications to 30 consulting firms. The DPU received two statements of qualifications. A six-member review panel selected Akel Engineering Group, Inc. as the most qualified firm to perform the necessary engineering services. A consultant services agreement has been negotiated in the amount of $708,000, inclusive of a $64,000 contingency.
The City Attorney has reviewed the standard consultant services agreement and approved it as to form. Upon approval by the City Council, the agreement will be executed by the Director of Public Utilities, or his designee.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
The sanitary sewer master plan is not a project as defined by Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local Preference was not implemented because all respondents are local businesses.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact to the General Fund. Funds for the Sanitary Sewer Master Plan are included in the Wastewater Division’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget within the Wastewater Enterprise Fund 40501. The Master Plan is Citywide.
Attachment:
Attachment 1 - Consultant Services Agreement