TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Steven Lederer, Director of Public Works
REPORT BY: Dewey Phan, Assistant Engineer
SUBJECT: Construction Contract Award and Budget Amendment for the “2024 Annual Guardrail Repair, RDS 24-02” Project
RECOMMENDATION
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Award a Construction Contract to Dirt and Aggregate Interchange, Inc. for the 2024 Annual Guardrail Repair, RDS 24-02, and approve a Budget Amendment. (Fiscal Impact: $581,666 Expense; SB-1 Non-Operating Special Revenue Fund; Not Budgeted; Discretionary)
[4/5 vote required]
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BACKGROUND
The Public Works Department maintains 420 miles of roads and about 22 miles of guardrail. Over many years, the County has constructed guardrails to help prevent drivers from driving into the Napa River, into creeks, and down roadway embankments. Every year wayward drivers damage guardrails along County roads. In the past, County staff has hired contractors to repair individual damaged guardrails or the Public Works Roads Division staff repaired the damage as time and funding allowed. With the advent of funding from SB-1, the County now designates about $500,000/year towards guardrail repairs.
The annual guardrail repair program provides safety for the public and is a more cost-effective method by repairing numerous guardrails with one construction contract to take advantage of economies of scale. Staff prioritizes the repairs based on safety and available funding and will repair the remaining damage (plus any newly damaged guardrails) in future years. To date, staff has spent about $70,000 on the site inspections and design of this year’s project. Currently, staff time is being journaled by the Accounting Department until the project is funded.
The Board authorized advertising for the project on May 7, 2024, and the Clerk of the Board opened bids on June 13, 2024, with the results listed below:
Dirt and Aggregate Interchange, Inc. Fairview, OR $318,888
Midstate Barrier, Inc. Stockton, CA $448,492
Coral Construction Company Wilsonville, OR $497,400
The engineer's estimate was $456,000 (base bid plus additive alternate bid). Staff recommends award to Dirt and Aggregate Interchange, Inc. for their responsive total bid of $318,888. Construction is anticipated to commence in August 2024 and to be completed by September of 2024, weather and site conditions permitting. A 25% contingency is requested for any unforeseen items of work.
The total project budget with the addition of engineering design, construction management, project management, special inspection and contingency is $581,666 and will be funded with SB-1 fund (see attached project budget).
Dirt and Aggregate Interchange, Inc. is not a local vendor; however, the Public Contract Code requires that the construction contract be awarded to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder regardless of whether the low bidder is local or not. Staff reached out to the local construction contractor community by advertising the request for bids in the Napa Valley Register and the Solano-Napa Builder's Exchange, and by posting on the County website. Staff also sent "Notices to Contractors" to the local construction community.
Requested Actions:
1. Award of a construction contract for the “2024 Annual Guardrail Repair, RDS 24-02” to Dirt and Aggregate Interchange, Inc. for their low total bid of $318,888 ; and
2. Approve a Budget Amendment for the following (4/5 vote required):
a. Increase Transfers-Out appropriations by $581,666 in the SB-1 Non-Operating Special Revenue Fund
(SB-1 SRF) (Fund 2440, Org 1220052, Object 56100) offset by use of its available fund balance to fund
Project 24016; and
b. Increase Construction Services appropriations by $399,610 in Project 24016 (Fund 2040, Sub-Division
2040500, Project 24016, Account 52360) offset by a Transfer-In revenue from SB-1; and
c. Increase Engineer Services appropriations by $182,056 in Project 24016 (Fund 2040, Sub-Division
2040500, Project 24016, Account 52145) offset by a Transfer-In revenue from SB-1
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
No |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
Approval of the construction award and budget amendment are necessary to move the project forward toward construction phase to improve public safety. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
The future fiscal impact will be routine maintenance |
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Consequences if not approved: |
If not approved, annual guardrail repair of County roads cannot begin, and the damaged guardrails will result in potential road safety hazards on various roads throughout the county. |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: Consideration and possible adoption of a Categorical Exemption Class 1: It has been determined that this type of project does not have a significant effect on the environment and is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act. [See Class 1 (“Existing Facilities”) which may be found in the guidelines for the implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act of 14 CCR § 15301; see also Napa County’s Local Procedures for Implementing the California Environmental Quality Act, Appendix B].