REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Award of Bid No. PW16-10 for the SMaRT Station Main Service Switchboard Replacement Project and Finding of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Categorical Exemption
Report
REPORT IN BRIEF
Approval is requested to award a construction contract in the amount of $442,000 to D.W. Nicholson Corporation of Hayward for the SMaRT Station® Main Service Switchboard Replacement project (Public Works Project PR-15/06-16). Approval is also requested for a 10% construction contingency in the amount of $44,200.
EXISTING POLICY
Section 1309 of the City Charter requires public works construction contracts to be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The CEQA determination for this project is a Class 1 categorical exemption pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 for maintenance or repair of existing facilities involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond which presently exists.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Sunnyvale Materials Recovery and Transfer (SMaRT) Station is located on the site of the closed Sunnyvale landfill at 301 Carl Road. Since 1993, it has provided solid waste and recycling services for the cities of Mountain View, Palo Alto and Sunnyvale. In spring 2013, the 3000 amp main electrical service for the SMaRT Station failed, requiring immediate, temporary repairs. A temporary 2000 amp service was installed to restore a minimal electrical service to the facility to keep it operational.
Since spring 2013, the facility operator has been forced to adjust the hours during which large pieces of equipment operate in order to keep the total electrical load within the limit imposed by the temporary service. Replacement of the electrical service hardware is necessary.
Over the years several pieces of equipment have been added to the facility to improve the materials recovery process. The cumulative electrical demand load of the equipment now exceeds even the rating of the original service switchboard and transformer. This limits the number of pieces of equipment that can operate at the same time. The City is also preparing to install a large solar photovoltaic panel array at the SMaRT Station to reduce the amount of electricity the facility purchases from PG&E. The solar panels will need to be connected to the service switchboard, which would need to be expanded to provide space to connect the new panels.
DTN Engineers, Inc. from Oakland was hired to design, prepare bid documents, and provide bid and construction support services for replacement service hardware and a new, code-compliant switchboard. The new switchboard has been designed to be durable to ensure reliable ongoing electrical service to the SMaRT Station. It will be larger than the existing switchboard to account for the current equipment demand load and to provide capacity for the planned solar system. It also includes additional capacity for the installation of potential new equipment in the future. The construction documents require that the construction contractor provide a large generator to keep the facility operational during construction to minimize disruption.
The project was advertised for competitive bidding in the Sunnyvale Sun on March 18, 2016, distributed to sixteen Bay Area Builder’s Exchanges, and published on the City’s website. Six contractors requested bid documents. Sealed bids were opened on April 13, 2016, with three responsive bids being received. The lowest responsive and responsible bid was submitted by D.W. Nicholson Corporation. The bid summary is contained in Attachment 1.
FISCAL IMPACT
The project costs consist of the construction contract in the amount of $442,000, and a 10% construction contingency in the amount of $44,200, for a total of $486,200. Budgeted funds are available in Capital Project 811250, SMaRT Station Equipment Replacement.
Funding Source
This project is funded by contributions from each partner City to the SMaRT Station Equipment Replacement Fund. Sunnyvale’s share in the amount of $268,771 is funded by the Solid Waste Management Fund.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
1) Make a finding of CEQA categorical exemption pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Class 1, Existing Facilities) as it relates to the rehabilitation of existing facilities involving negligible or no expansion of existing use; 2) award a construction contract, in substantially the same form as Attachment 2 to the report and in the amount of $442,000 to D.W. Nicholson Corporation; and 3) approve a 10% construction contingency in the amount of $44,200.
Staff
Prepared by: Pete Gonda, Purchasing Officer
Reviewed by: Timothy J. Kirby, Acting Director of Finance
Reviewed by: Manuel Pineda, Director of Public Works
Reviewed by: Walter C. Rossmann, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Bid Summary
2. Draft General Construction Contract