TO: Members of the Governing Board
FROM: Christopher Silke, District Engineer
REPORT BY: Annamaria Martinez, Assistant Engineer
SUBJECT: Award Construction Contract for the Water Supply Intake Utility Building Project, LB 24-01
RECOMMENDATION
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Award a Construction Contract to Fort Bragg Electric, Inc. for the Water Supply Intake Utility Building Project, LB 24-01. (Fiscal Impact: $228,623 Expense; Lake Berryessa Resort Improvement District Fund; Budgeted; Discretionary)
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BACKGROUND
The District filed an application for public water system funding assistance through the Department of Water Resources (DWR) Small Community Drought Relief Program (SCDRP) in November 2021 seeking a total of $637,000 to cover costs associated with the District’s Emergency Drought Response. The project implements groundwater and sub-channel creek supply feasibility investigations and strengthens the system’s ability to sustain water supply during critically dry years. Project elements include:
1. The installation of a seasonal floating intake structure to compensate for declining water levels in Putah Creek due to severe drought;
2. Extending the water supply intake to a nearby alluvium gravel bar and replacing a dilapidated Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU) Intake Utility Building with a new building and a Potassium Permanganate chemical treatment process for pre-treatment of raw water;
3. Purchase and acquisition of portable pumping equipment, hoses and a tank placed at the water supply intake pool to carry out temporary water transfers within the Putah Creek basin from upstream pools to the stationary intake; and
4. Conduct hydrogeologic explorations for a potential alluvial or fractured rock deep well supply in proximity to the Berryessa Estates water service area that can satisfy the community’s maximum daily water demand.
DWR SCDRP Funding Agreement No. 4600015452 was issued to the District in June 2023 and formally executed on August 28, 2023 (LBRID Agreement No 240301B). Terms of the Funding Agreement allow for eligible project reimbursement expenses dating back to April 29, 2022 through December 31, 2024. The seasonal floating intake, alluvium gravel bar intake extension and hydrogeologic investigations are complete. Project elements remaining to bid are replacement of the existing CMU Intake Utility Building with a precast concrete structure (the subject of this agenda item) and securing creek pool transfer pumping equipment furnished by a vendor that is selected through competitive price proposals.
This project scope includes three objectives: 1) Installation of the new utility building and restoration of the existing CMU building site to its natural state; 2) Installation of chain-link fence with pedestrian and maintenance access gates placed around the new precast concrete building perimeter; and 3) Installation of a new chemical containment shed to store potassium permanganate which will be injected into the raw water for treatment of low-level seasonal iron and manganese that can cause discolored water.
Construction plans and specifications for the project scope of work were approved and the District was authorized to solicit competitive public bids by the Governing Board at the August 13, 2024 meeting.
Bids were opened on September 12, 2024 (see attached table of bid results). Staff recommends awarding the contract to the lowest responsive bidder, Fort Bragg Electric, Inc. of Fort Bragg, California for their base bid of $228,623. The base bid is lower than the engineer’s estimate which is $275,000. The total estimated project cost including construction, construction management and contingency is now $265,000. With the award of this contract $60,000 of the original $637,000 grant will remain. This is sufficient to complete the last remaining task of the full grant scope (purchasing creek pool transfer equipment).
Fort Bragg Electric, 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 Action:
1. Award of Contract to Fort Bragg Electric, Inc. of Fort Bragg, California for their low total bid of $228,623 for construction of the Project and authorize the Chair to sign the construction contract.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
Yes |
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Where is it budgeted? |
Fund 5220, Subdivision 5220500, Project 24019 |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
Award of the contract is necessary prior to allow the project to move into the construction phase of the project. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
None |
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Consequences if not approved: |
District would forfeit grant money awarded by Department of Water Resources to support the project. |
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 at 14 CCR §15301; see also Napa County’s Local Procedures for Implementing the California Environmental Quality Act, Appendix B.]