Title
[Contract] City College Reservoir Transmission Main Project Design Support Services
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FileID
File ID: 2026-01349
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Location
Location: District 4 and 7
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Recommendation
Recommendation: Pass a Motion authorizing the City Manager or designee to execute a Professional Services Agreement with BKF Engineers to provide design support services for the City College Reservoir Transmission Main Project (Z14130300), for an amount not to exceed $566,505.
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Contact
Contact: Colleen Karbowski, Project Manager, (916) 808-1474, ckarbowski@cityofsacramento.org; Michelle Carrey, (916) 808-1438, Engineering & Water Resources Division Manager, mcarrey@cityofsacramento.org; Dalia Fadl, Director, (916) 808-3765, dfadl@cityofsacramento.org; Department of Utilities
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Presenter
Presenter: None
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Attachments
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Professional Services Agreement
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Description/Analysis
IssueDetail
Issue Detail: Staff recommends City Council approve an agreement with BKF Engineers for design support services which includes drafting services, constructability review, potholing and geotechnical investigation, corrosion design, and environmental regulatory compliance services. These services will support internal Department of Utilities (DOU) design of approximately 11,000 linear feet (LF) of new 24-inch diameter transmission main and 5,000 LF of new 6-inch, 8-inch and 12-inch diameter distribution main.
The existing welded steel 24-inch diameter transmission main between City College Reservoir and Q Street is in poor condition and has had several leaks. The Water Division water distribution field staff has identified corrosion and pitting on the pipe, believed to be caused by stray current from Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) and Sacramento Regional Transit (Sac RT) tracks. Approximately 7,000 LF of the transmission main is located within the UPRR right-of-way and crosses under an existing commercial building at 1901 Broadway, hindering maintenance and posing a significant risk of private property damage if the transmission main is not replaced.
Design support services, including potholing, geotechnical investigations, pressure pipe Civil 3D drafting, training, and other specialized technical support, are being grouped under a single contract to improve coordination, increase efficiency, and reduce overall project costs. The City will retain responsibility for completing the technical design and all required permitting for the project; however, due to the size and complexity of the transmission main project, additional staff resources and specialized technical expertise are needed to supplement City staff during project development and design. Training in pressure pipe Civil 3D is included in the contract to build internal expertise and enable in-house pressure pipe drafting on future projects. Consolidating these specialized services under a single contract will streamline communication, minimize scheduling conflicts, improve coordination among support disciplines, and support timely and efficient project delivery.
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PolicyConsiderations
Policy Considerations: City Council approval is required for professional service agreements of $250,000 or more per City Code 3.56.090.
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EconomicImpacts
Economic Impacts: None.
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EnvironmentalConsiderations
Environmental Considerations: Approval of the proposed Agreement is an administrative action that would not result in the direct or indirect effects on the environment. As such, the proposed Agreement is not a ‘project’ and is not subject to the requirements of CEQA, pursuant to Section 15378(b)(5). The current proposed Agreement involves only administrative activities for the purpose of hiring consultant staff with the requisite professional services.
The infrastructure improvements will be evaluated and addressed in a project-level CEQA environmental analysis in the future as part of the preliminary design and environmental phase.
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Sustainability
Sustainability: The proposed project is consistent with the 2040 General Plan PFS-2.2 which supports maintenance of critical infrastructure and PFS-3.2 which promotes utility system sustainability and resilience. The agreement advances these goals by replacing a critical transmission main that has reached the end of its useful life and by improving water quality and system reliability through a more gridded and looped distribution system.
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Commission/Committee Action
Commission/Committee Action: Not applicable.
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RationaleforRecommendation
Rationale for Recommendation: On May 18, 2026, a Request for Proposal (RFP) (P26141322012) was advertised and issued on PlanetBids for design support services including: drafting services, constructability review, potholing and geotechnical investigation, corrosion design, and environmental regulatory compliance services. On the due date of June 15, 2026, three (3) proposals were received from BKF Engineers, JLR Consultants and Lumos Associates. A three-member evaluation team reviewed the proposals and based on their knowledge, expertise, and experience, BKF Engineers was selected to provide the requested services after the following ranking:
|
Ranking |
Consultant |
|
1 |
BKF Engineers |
|
2 |
JLR Consultants |
|
3 |
Lumos Associates |
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FinancialConsiderations
Financial Considerations: The proposed agreement is for an amount not to exceed $566,505. Sufficient funding exists in the Transmission Main Rehab Program (Z14130300, Fund 6005) to award the agreement.
There are no general funds allocated or planned for this agreement.
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LocalBusinessEnterprise
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): BKF Engineers is an LBE.
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Background
Background: The 24-inch transmission main serving the City College area was constructed in 1935 and has shown age-related deterioration during routine repairs and pipe exposures over the years. An emergency leak repair in 2020 and a citywide leak-detection survey in 2025 further underscored the need to address aging infrastructure in this corridor. The main is a critical part of the central city’s water distribution system, and its replacement is necessary to maintain reliability, reduce the risk of unplanned outages, and support system resiliency.
A significant segment of the pipeline, approximately 7,000 linear feet, is located within Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) right-of-way and passes beneath private property at 1901 Broadway, limiting maintenance access and increasing potential impacts should future failures occur. Water Division field crews have also documented corrosion and pitting believed to be associated with stray current from nearby rail infrastructure.
To advance the replacement project, DOU is contracting for design support services, including drafting, constructability review, potholing, geotechnical investigation, corrosion design, and environmental regulatory compliance. The consultant’s work products will be used by internal DOU engineering staff to complete the design and prepare project plans, specifications, and cost estimates needed to advertise the project for construction.
The project will construct a new 24-inch transmission main along 21st Street and Freeport Boulevard and install new 12-inch, 8-inch, and 6-inch distribution mains to improve system gridding, eliminate dead-end configurations, and enhance water quality. In total, the project will deliver approximately 11,000 linear feet of new transmission main and 5,000 linear feet of distribution mains.
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