REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
December 15, 2016
FROM: THOMAS C. ESQUEDA, Director
Department of Public Utilities
BY: MICHAEL CARBAJAL, Planning Manager
Department of Public Utilities - Water Division
SUBJECT
Title
Approve Professional Consultant Services Agreement with Akel Engineering Group, Inc., a California Corporation for $600,000 for Water Distribution System Hydraulic Modeling. (Citywide)
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that City Council:
1. Approve Professional Consultant Services Agreement with Akel Engineering Group, Inc., a California Corporation for $600,000 for Water Distribution System Hydraulic Modeling.
2. Authorize the Director of Public Utilities, or designee, to sign the contract on behalf of the City of Fresno.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Fresno (City) has a drinking water service area that covers nearly 114 square miles and serves approximately 513,000 residential customers and 35,000 commercial and industrial accounts through a network of approximately 1,800 miles of pipe. The City owns a water distribution system hydraulic computer model that simulates the operation of the City’s water distribution system. This project is needed to assess changes to water system operations and distribution system water quality, and it will be used to conduct those assessments and assessments of other distribution system changes resulting from the construction of the Southeast Surface Water Treatment Facility (Facility). Akel Engineering Group was selected as being best to meet the City’s needs for this project.
BACKGROUND
The City of Fresno (City) has a drinking water service area that covers nearly 114 square miles and serves approximately 513,000 residential customers and 35,000 commercial and industrial accounts through a network of approximately 1,800 miles of pipe. 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 237 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 (Northeast Facility). The City owns a water distribution system hydraulic computer model that simulates the operation of the City’s water distribution system under both steady state and dynamic conditions.
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 Facility to be located between North Fowler and Armstrong Avenues, and East Olive and Floradora Avenues. Proposed Regional Transmission Mains (RTMs) are required to convey treated surface water from the proposed Facility and the existing Northeast Facility to the City’s Transmission Grid Mains and distribution system. The hydraulic model of the City’s distribution system is needed to assess changes to water system operations and distribution system water quality, and this project will be used to conduct those assessments and assessments of other distribution system changes.
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 water distribution system hydraulic modeling services. Announcements were published on September 21, 2016 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 four consulting firms and distributed RFQs to each. The RFQ requested that consultants provide a statement of qualifications (SOQ) by October 19, 2016, and the Water Division received four SOQs by the due date. The SOQs were evaluated by a selection committee consisting of representatives from the Water Division. Upon completion of the evaluation, and scope and fee negotiation process, Akel Engineering Group (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 1,095 consecutive calendar days from the authorization to proceed. The contract is for a not to exceed amount of $600,000, paid on a time and materials basis. Services will be authorized in $200,000 increments each fiscal year.
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; the Consultant is a local business as defined by Fresno Municipal Code 4-109(b).
FISCAL IMPACT
The project expenditures, which are citywide, will not have any impact to the General Fund. Appropriations of $200,000 for first year funding of Water Distribution System Hydraulic Modeling services are available in the FY 2017 Water Enterprise Fund Capital Improvement Program budget. An administrative transfer of funds is planned to be made from the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District (FMFCD) Improvement Project due to projected savings.
Attachment: City Standard Agreement