April 27, 2017
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, P.E., Director
Public Works Department
BY: ROBERT N. ANDERSEN, PE, Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Capital Management Division
L. NATHAN SANCHEZ, Project Manager
Public Works Department, Facilities Management Division
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the City Hall Server Room Fire Suppression System Upgrade Project (Bid File 3509) (Council District 3)
1. Adopt finding of a Categorical Exemption pursuant to Section 15301(d) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines
2. Award a construction contract with Davis Moreno Construction, Inc. of Fresno, CA, for $276,146
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that Council adopt a finding of a Categorical Exemption and award a construction contract with Davis Moreno Construction, Inc., for $276,146 for the City Hall Server Room Fire Suppression System Upgrade project and authorize the Public Works Director or designee to sign and execute the standardized contract on behalf of the City of Fresno.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Fresno City Hall server room contains electronic equipment worth millions of dollars, and is host to invaluable data that key City of Fresno services rely on for everyday operations. If there was an event in which the existing water based suppression system would be triggered within the server room, the event would cause irreparable water damage to the electronic equipment and would result in a loss of essential services. The City Hall Server Room Fire Suppression System Upgrade project would remove the water sprinkler system and replace it with an inert gas system that eliminates the risk of water damage to the electronic equipment.
BACKGROUND
Fresno City Hall was constructed in 1991 and utilized standard water sprinklers as the fire suppression system in the server room. Over the years the equipment in the server room has expanded and grown quite substantially with equipment worth millions of dollars. That equipment is host to invaluable data in which key City of Fresno services rely on for everyday operations. If there was an event in which the existing water based suppression system would be triggered within the server room, water would be dispersed which would cause irreparable water damage to the equipment’s electrical circuits, and would result in a loss of essential services. The City Hall Server Room Fire Suppression System Upgrade project would remove the water from the system and replace it with an inert gas that eliminates damage to the electronic equipment.
Plans and specifications were prepared by David Baias, Architect. A Notice Inviting Bids was published on December 21, 2016, distributed to twelve (12) building exchanges and posted on the City’s website. The specifications were distributed to nine (9) prospective bidders. Two sealed bid proposals were received and opened in a public bid opening on February 28, 2017, with the bid amounts ranging from $266,500 to $276,146.
During the evaluation of the bid proposals it was noted that the apparent low bidder was missing the Contractor’s License page of the bid proposal, failed to list the work to be performed by the two subcontractors that were listed as required by the Public Contract Code, claimed Local Preference even though they are located 40 miles away in Chowchilla, and did not have a Statement of Qualifications on file as required by the bid specifications.
The second bidder, Davis Moreno Construction, Inc., of Fresno, does qualify for the Local Preference and has been deemed responsive and responsible, and as such is the apparent low bidder.
Staff is recommending that Council adopt finding of a Categorical Exemption and award of a construction contract to Davis Moreno Construction, Inc., of Fresno, CA, for $276,146 for the City Hall Server Room Fire Suppression System Upgrade project and to authorize the Public Works Director or designee to sign and execute the standardized contract on behalf of the City of Fresno. The low bidder was bypassed due to the local preference requirements.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Staff has determined that a Categorical Exemption is appropriate, based on Class 1 Section 15301(d) of the CEQA Guidelines, which exempts restoration or rehabilitation of deteriorated or damaged structures, facilities or mechanical equipment to meet current standards of public health and safety. Furthermore, staff has determined that none of the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions set forth in the CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2 apply to this project. Staff recommends that the Council, based upon its own independent judgment, adopt a finding of a Categorical Exemption per Staff determination, pursuant to Section 15301(d), Class 1 of the CEQA Guidelines for the City Hall Server Room Fire Suppression System Upgrade project.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was implemented to award of a construction contract to Davis Moreno Construction, Inc., for this project.
FISCAL IMPACT
The FY16 ISD Budget funded $277,000 of the City Hall Server Room Fire Suppression System Upgrade project with remaining costs to be funded from the FY17 ($25,000) and FY18 ($26,000) ISD Budget.
Attachments:
Bid Evaluation
Fiscal Impact Statement
Standard Contract