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APPROVE RESOLUTION TO AWARD CONTRACT FOR THE CALIFORNIA STREET AT LAFAYETTE STREET AND WASHINGTON STREET TRAFFIC SIGNAL MODIFICATION
recommended action
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to:
1. Approve the Notice of Exemption No. CE023-16 under the California Environmental Quality Act for the California Street at Lafayette Street and Washington Street Traffic Signal Modification (Project No. PW1314/Federal Project No. HSIPL-5008(131)).
2. Approve the plans and specifications for the California Street at Lafayette Street and Washington Street Traffic Signal Modification (Project No. PW1314/Federal Project No. HSIPL-5008(131)).
3. Appropriate $103,000 from Measure K Maintenance Fund balance to the California Street at Lafayette Street and Washington Street Traffic Signal Modification (Project No. PW1314/Federal Project No. HSIPL-5008(131)).
4. Award a Construction Contract in the amount of $663,236 to St. Francis Electric, LLC of San Leandro, CA, for the California Street at Lafayette Street and Washington Street Traffic Signal Modification (Project No. PW1314/Federal Project No. HSIPL-5008(131)).
It is also recommended that the City Manager be authorized to take appropriate and necessary actions to carry out the purpose and intent of this resolution.
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Summary
The California Street at Lafayette Street and Washington Street Traffic Signal Modification project is primarily funded by a federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grant and will upgrade the traffic signals to current City standards, including compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements (Attachment A - Vicinity Map and Attachment B - Site Map).
On February 16, 2017, the City received three bids for this project. Staff recommends award of the Construction Contract to the lowest responsible bidder, St. Francis Electric, LLC, in the amount of $663,236. This amount is approximately 5.9 percent higher than the engineer’s estimate of $626,020 but is considered to be reasonable based on the current bidding environment.
Staff further recommends Council appropriate $103,000 from Measure K Maintenance funding. The additional funding will bring the total unencumbered project balance to $802,000, which will be sufficient to award a Construction Contract in the amount of $663,236, with the remaining funds being used for contingency, inspection, and staff costs. Staff also recommends that Council adopt a resolution authorizing the filing of Notice of Exemption No. CE023-16 under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Construction is anticipated to begin in summer 2017 and be completed by spring 2018.
DISCUSSION
Background
The HSIP is a core federal-aid program established to achieve a significant reduction in fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. Caltrans, Division of Local Assistance, manages California’s local agency share of HSIP funds. California’s Local HSIP focuses on infrastructure projects with nationally recognized crash reduction factors. Local HSIP projects are prioritized by crash experience, crash potential, crash rate, or other data-supported means.
On June 26, 2012, Council approved Motion No. 2012-06-26-1205 authorizing the submittal of HSIP applications to Caltrans Cycle 5 HSIP Call for Projects. The City submitted seven grant applications for funding consideration. Four were selected and awarded HSIP funds, including the California Street at Lafayette Street and Washington Street Traffic Signal Modification project.
The total HSIP grant award received for the California Street at Lafayette Street and Washington Street Traffic Signal Modification project was $668,600. The grant award and the minimum local 10 percent matching funds were included in the 2013-14 Capital Improvement Program.
The signals at the intersections of California Street/Lafayette Street and California Street/Washington Street were originally installed in 1964, with only minor upgrades since that time. The California Street at Lafayette Street and Washington Street Traffic Signal Modification project will upgrade the traffic signals to current City standards by adding mast arms, emergency preemption systems, and upgrading signal hardware. The two signals will be converted from fixed time operation to fully actuated signals. The project will also make these intersections compliant with current ADA regulations by upgrading the ADA ramps and installing countdown pedestrian heads and audible signals.
On July 15, 2014, the City retained Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. to prepare the plans and specifications for the construction of the project. The project design was completed, and the project was advertised for bids on January 17, 2017.
Since the project is funded with federal transportation dollars, DBE program rules apply. DBE rules require that the prime contractor either meet a calculated project specific DBE participation goal or undertake and document good faith efforts to do so. If the apparent low bidder does not meet the project goal, a Good Faith Efforts Evaluation must be made examining several specific factors. Failure to meet the goal or make adequate good faith efforts are grounds for rejecting the bidder as non-responsive.
A DBE is a socially and economically disadvantaged small business owned by a woman or by a specified ethnic group that has been properly certified by Caltrans. These groups include:
• African American
• Asian Pacific American
• Native American
• Women
• Hispanic American
• Subcontinent Asian American
A DBE goal of 15 percent was established for this project. The goal was calculated by examining the breakdown of the types of work to be performed, and the availability of certified DBE companies in our market area to perform the work. A pre-bid meeting was held on February 8, 2017, to emphasize the DBE requirements, and to provide information on how to meet the project DBE goal.
The federal HSIP funding restrictions prohibit the use of the Local Employment Ordinance (Stockton Municipal Code (SMC) section 3.68.095), and the Local Business Preference Ordinance (SMC section 3.68.090).
On July 26, 2016, Council adopted a Community Workforce and Training Agreement (CWTA). The CWTA became effective August 25, 2016, and applies to all Public Works projects over $1 million that are bid after that date. The CWTA was not applied to this project as federal regulations prohibit the use of such agreements, and because the estimated construction cost was less than $1 million.
Present Situation
On January 17, 2017, the California Street at Lafayette Street and Washington Street Traffic Signal Modification project was advertised for bids. On February 16, 2017, three bids were received with the following results:
|
COMPANY NAME |
BID AMOUNT |
|
St. Francis Electric, LLC (San Leandro, CA) |
$ 663,236.00 |
|
Tim Paxin’s Pacific Excavation, Inc. (Elk Grove, CA) |
$ 688,418.00 |
|
Tennyson Electric, Inc. (Stockton, CA) |
$ 845,138.00 |
|
Engineer’s Estimate |
$ 626,020.00 |
The bid from St. Francis Electric, LLC, the apparent low bidder, is regular in all respects. St. Francis Electric, LLC has the proper license to perform the work and has proposed a DBE participation of 15.36 percent, which exceeds the 15 percent DBE goal. St. Francis Electric, LLC’s bid is approximately 5.9 percent higher than the engineer’s estimate. Given the current bidding environment, staff does not anticipate that re-advertising would yield lower bids. Staff recommends approving the plans and specifications for the project, and awarding the Construction Contract to St. Francis Electric, LLC of San Leandro, CA, in the amount of $663,236.
The project is in conformance with the City’s General Plan, pursuant to California Government Code, section 65402, and is categorically exempt from the requirements of CEQA as specified under Article 19, Section 15301, Class 1, of CEQA Guidelines. Staff recommends Council appropriate an additional $103,000 from Measure K Maintenance funding. The additional funding will bring the total unencumbered project balance to $802,000, which will be sufficient to award a Construction Contract in the amount of $663,236, with the remaining funds being used for contingency, inspection, and staff costs.
Construction is anticipated to begin in summer 2017 and be completed by spring 2018.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
Staff recommends additional funding be appropriated in the amount of $103,000 from Measure K Maintenance Fund balance (Fund 082). With this additional funding, the unencumbered balance will be $802,000 in the California Street at Lafayette Street and Washington Street Traffic Signal Modification (Project No. PW1314/Federal Project No. HSIPL-5008(131)). This is sufficient to award a Construction Contract to St. Francis Electric, LLC in the amount of $663,236. The remaining funds will be used for contingency, inspection, and staff costs.
There is no impact to the City’s General Fund or to any other unrestricted fund as a result of taking the recommended action.
Attachment A - Vicinity Map
Attachment B - Site Plan Map