REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
November 14, 2019
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
THROUGH: Randall W. Morrison, PE, Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Engineering Division
BY: SCOTT P. SEHM, PE, Public Works Manager
Public Works Department, Design Services
SUBJECT
Title
Reject all bids for the Herndon Avenue Corridor Pedestrian Signalization Upgrade - Bid File No. 3683 (Council Districts 2 and 6)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that City Council reject all bids for the Herndon Avenue Corridor Pedestrian Signalization Upgrade Project and direct staff to rebid the project.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Herndon Avenue Corridor Pedestrian Signalization Upgrade Project will remove and replace existing pedestrian signal heads at each signalized intersection along Herndon Avenue, from Golden State Boulevard to Willow Avenue, for a total of 19 intersection upgrades. Each intersection along this corridor is currently equipped with pedestrian signal heads that do not include the latest available means of notification to direct pedestrian traffic. The new pedestrian signal heads will provide a countdown timer to notify pedestrians of the remaining walk time so they can more safely cross the intersection.
The bids received ranged from $90,020.00 to $157,122.00 and while all bids where within budget, none of the bidders provided all bid documents as required, per the Bidder’s Checklist, resulting in the bids not adhering to either the funding or construction requirements; all bidders were therefore determined to be non-responsive and their bids shall be rejected. Staff recommends that Council reject all bids and direct staff to rebid this project.
BACKGROUND
This Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) project was awarded to the City of Fresno in 2018 with the Preliminary Engineering phase approved in the Spring of 2019. The Herndon Avenue Pedestrian Signalization Upgrade Project will remove and replace existing pedestrian signal heads at every traffic signal along Herndon Avenue, from Golden State Boulevard to Willow Avenue, for a total of 19 intersections. The proposed work includes the removal of existing pedestrian heads at each intersection which will then be replaced with countdown heads to provide pedestrians clear notice of when to proceed with crossing the intersection, as well as providing the green-time remaining in the pedestrian phase of the traffic signal operation.
A Notice Inviting Bids was published in the Business Journal and posted on the City’s website on July 5, 2019 and sent to three (3) building exchanges. Specifications were distributed to twenty-four (24) prospective bidders. Four (4) sealed bids were received and opened in the public bid opening held at City Hall on August 6, 2019 with bid proposals ranging from $90,020.00 to $157,122.00. All bids received were within the project’s budget, however, none of the bidders provided all the required documents, per the Bidder’s Checklist. As a result, the bidders are considered to be nonresponsive and their bids shall be rejected.
Staff evaluated the bids and consulted with various divisions within the City’s Department of Public Works and concluded that due to an abundance of available large construction projects at bid time and the low dollar value of this work combined with a relatively high Disadvantage Business Enterprise goal of 20%, this small construction job did not find adequate interest for any of the bidders to adhere to the bidding requirements. To ensure a successful rebid, staff will combine this project with the very similar Shaw Avenue Pedestrian Signal Upgrade Project, which had a similar bid outcome, and revise the bid items with a goal to receive common bids and a greater ability in meeting all bid requirements. Staff is recommending that the Council reject all bids for the Herndon Avenue Corridor Pedestrian Signalization Upgrade Project and direct staff to rebid the project. The City Attorney has reviewed and approved as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
By the definition provided in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, Section 15378, the rejection of all bids does not qualify as a “project” as defined by the CEQA requirements.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented because this item is the rejection of all bids received.
FISCAL IMPACT
A rejection of all bids will result in additional staff costs in order to rebid the project. The adopted project budget has sufficient appropriations to cover the additional staff costs in order to rebid the project. There will be no impact to the General Fund.
Attachments:
Bid Evaluations
Vicinity Map