Title:
Title
Agreement: E.A. Fairbairn Water Treatment Plant (EAFWTP) Backwash Tank Repair
End
FileID
File ID: 2021-00187
Location
Location: Citywide
End
Recommendation:
Recommendation
Pass a Motion authorizing the City Manager or the City Manager’s designee to: 1) ratify City Agreement PRC001342 with Farr Construction Company dba Resource Development Company (Resource Development Co.) for the emergency repair of the E.A. Fairbairn Water Treatment Plant (EAFWTP) Backwash Tank for an amount not to exceed $241,700; and 2) authorizing the City Manager or City Manager’s designee to execute change orders up to $200,000.
FileName
Contact: Megan Thomas, Project Manager (916) 808-1729; Michelle Carrey, Supervising Engineer (916) 808-1438; Tony Bertrand, Engineering & Water Resources Division Manager, (916) 808-1461; William Busath, Director, (916) 808-1434; Department of Utilities
Body
Presenter: None
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Professional Services Agreement PRC001342
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: In October 2020, Department of Utilities (DOU) staff at the E.A. Fairbairn Water Treatment Plant identified a leak coming from underneath the filter backwash tank. Due to the criticality of the tank in the drinking water process, the leak was assessed to be critical enough to warrant an emergency contract within a restricted time frame.
DOU approached four firms that have proven experience and qualifications needed to complete the repairs. In December 2020, a site visit was held with all four firms. Each firm was provided with the anticipated scope of repairs and given the opportunity to review the knowns and unknowns of the situation to assist them in preparing their proposals. Of the four firms, only three had the staffing and equipment available during the restricted schedule, and only one firm submitted a proposal that met all conditions of the repair. In January 2021, DOU contracted with Resource Development Co. to complete the repairs needed on the EAFWTP backwash tank for an amount not to exceed $241,700.
Due to the criticality of the plant and the strict timeline, staff recommends Council ratify City Agreement PRC001342 for possible emergency repair of the filter backwash tank located at the E.A Fairbairn Water Treatment Plant. Staff recommends that Council provide the City Manager or City Manager’s designee authority to execute change orders in the amount not to exceed $200,000 in order to prevent interruptions to plant operations and ensure water quality.
Since the tank is not able to be taken out of service for an extended period of time to determine the condition of the existing steel floor, it is in the City’s best interest to provide additional change order authority to avoid delays in completing the needed repairs in a timely manner to ensure that EAFWTP can return to service before drinking water demands increase in spring.
Policy Considerations: This action is consistent with City Code Section 3.60.070, which requires the City Manager to present a report to Council describing the emergency, the actions taken, and the emergency contracts that were executed.
Economic Impacts: This project is expected to create 0.97 total jobs (0.56 direct jobs and 0.41 jobs through indirect and induced activities) and create $149,234 in total economic output ($94,063 of direct output and another $55,171 of output through indirect and induced activities).
The indicated economic impacts are estimates calculated using a calculation tool developed by the Center for Strategic Economic Research (CSER). CSER utilized the IMPLAN input-output model (2009 coefficients) to quantify the economic impacts of a hypothetical $1 million of spending in various construction categories within the City of Sacramento in an average one-year period. Actual impacts could differ significantly from the estimates and neither the City of Sacramento nor CSER shall be held responsible for consequences resulting from such differences.
Environmental Considerations: This project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Section 15301 of the CEQA Guidelines governing existing facilities, in that it meets the definition of restoration or rehabilitation of deteriorated or damaged structures, facilities, or mechanical equipment to meet current standards of public health and safety.
Sustainability: The proposed project is consistent with the 2035 General Plan as it improves infrastructure reliability and addresses existing safety and health impacts.
Commission/Committee Action: Not applicable.
Rationale for Recommendation: The filter backwash tank is a significant part of the drinking water treatment process at EAFWTP. Without the tank being operational, the plant would need to shut down as there would be no water to conduct the mandatory backwashing of the filter media to maintain drinking water standards.
City Code Section 3.60.070 allows for the City Manager to negotiate and contract for public projects without advertising for bids when public interest and necessity demand immediate action, repair or replacement to safeguard life, health, or property, to permit the continued conduct of city operations or services, or to mitigate further damage.
An emergency contract was necessary in this instance to ensure that repairs are conducted in a timely manner so that EAFWTP can return to service as quickly as possible. Resource Development Co. was selected based on the means and methods for completing the work in a timely manner to ensure the tank shutdown was limited to the available window of February 1 through March 31, 2021, staffing and equipment they had available to complete the work, and a cost estimate based on the known information provided.
Financial Considerations: There is sufficient funding in the FWTP Rehab Project (Z14130200, Fund 6005) to fund City Agreement PRC001342 as well as the additional $200,000 in possible change orders.
There are no General Funds allocated or planned for this project.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Resource Development Co. is not an LBE. The minimum LBE participation requirement was waived by the Director of Utilities as staff has determined the waiver is in the City’s best interest as there are no firms within the City limits deemed qualified and prepared to address the emergency in the restricted time frame.
Background: In October 2020, Department of Utilities (DOU) staff at the E.A. Fairbairn Water Treatment Plant identified a leak coming from underneath the filter backwash tank. DOU engineering staff conducted an assessment with field staff to verify that the leak was coming from the underside of the tank.
DOU staff immediately activated existing on-call contracts with Carollo for welding and structural steel repair guidelines required for a contractor to address the steel repairs, and with V&A Consulting to assist with coating repairs and lead abatement requirements for the post-welding repairs in order for the tank to meet NSF-61 requirements necessary for drinking water systems.
Within two weeks of guidelines being created, four specialized contractors were contacted for availability and interest of providing a proposal for the repairs: Matrix Service, Paso Robles Tank, Crosno Construction, and Resource Development Co. Due to the unknowns associated with the damages under the tank, the contractors were invited for a site visit, notified of the list of unknowns of the effort, and provided a scope of anticipated improvements needed. Each were given ten days to provide a proposal with the means and methods for completing the work in a timely manner.
On December 18, only three of the firms submitted proposals: Paso Robles Tank, Crosno Construction, and Resource Development Co. DOU had three qualified staff members review the proposals, and the selected firm was Resource Development Co. In January 2021, Resource Development Co. was awarded the contract and commenced mobilization to the EAFWTP to initiate preparations for repair commencement on February 1, 2021.