REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
December 10, 2020
FROM: GREGORY A. BARFIELD, Director
Department of Transportation
BY: BRIAN BARR, Assistant Director
Department of Transportation
BRIAN CETTI Capital Development Specialist
Department of Transportation/Capital Projects
SUBJECT
Title
Award a construction contract to Strategic Mechanical Inc., of Fresno, California, in the amount of $428,000 for the replacement of 40 year old HVAC equipment and associated piping at the Fresno Area Express Administration Building and authorize the Director of Transportation or designee to execute all necessary documents (Bid File #3758)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Council award a construction contract for the base bid amount of $428,000 to Strategic Mechanical Inc. of Fresno, California, as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the installation of new HVAC equipment and associated piping at the Fresno Area Express (FAX) Administration building and authorize the Director of Transportation or designee to execute all necessary documents.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Department of Transportation, FAX Division seeks to award a construction contract to replace the HVAC equipment at the Bruce Rudd Administration Building. The existing equipment and piping is nearly 40 years old, past its useful life, prone to breakdowns, and utilizes refrigerant no longer sold in California. This project is in support of FAX’s Facility Master Plan completed in 2014, and the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Transit Asset Management and State of Good Repair mandates. Award of this contract will be the second major project approved by Council of the Facility Improvement Projects. Such improvements include upgrades to the fire alarm system, new fare collection building, expansion of the existing bus wash area, replacement of end-of-life bus cleaning equipment, bus entry gate reconfiguration, electric bus charging infrastructure, and redesign of the employee parking area. These improvements are all intended to make the facilities safer and provide better service to customers.
BACKGROUND
In April 2018, Council approved a consultant agreement for design and engineering services for the FAX Facility Improvement Projects. Such improvements include upgrades to the fire alarm system, new fare collection building, expansion of the existing bus wash area, replacement of end-of-life bus cleaning equipment, bus entry gate reconfiguration, electric bus charging infrastructure, and redesign of the employee parking area. These improvements are all intended to make the facilities safer and provide better service to customers. Award of this contract will be the second major project approved by Council. Due to the overall cost of the all our FAX facility needs, the department has broken down projects as they are funded and increase the number of eligible bidders from the local area.
HVAC equipment in the Bruce Rudd Administration Building is 40 years old, past its useful life, in constant need of repair and utilizes refrigerate which has been phased out in California. The system is challenged at keeping the administration building at a comfortable temperature during the hot summer months. The scope of work includes removing the existing equipment located in the employee parking lot and installing new equipment on the administration building rooftop. The removal of the equipment from the parking lot is necessary to facilitate FAX’s future reconstruction of the parking lot and construction of a fare collection building. This project is supported by the FTA Transit Asset Management and State of Good Repair mandates.
A Notice Inviting Bids was published in the Fresno Business Journal on September 16, 2020, and also posted on the City’s website, and faxed to twelve building exchanges. The specifications were distributed to twelve prospective bidders. Three sealed bid proposals were received and opened in a public bid opening on October 27, 2020. Bids ranged from $428,000 to $620,900. Strategic Mechanical Inc., of Fresno was determined to be the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. The bids will expire on December 30, 2020.
The City Attorney has approved the contract to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDING
Council adopted a finding of Categorical Exemption pursuant to Section 15301/Class 1 and Section 15303/Class 3 of the California Environmental Quality Act for Existing Facilities and New Construction for the FAX Master Plan Improvement Project on April 9, 2020.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not applicable as the use of federal funding precludes the use of local preference. However, the lowest bidder is a local business.
FISCAL IMPACT
This project has no fiscal impact to the General Fund. This project will be funded from State of California Proposition 1B California Transit Security Grant Program funds and FTA grants.
Attachment:
Bid Evaluation