PURPOSE:

 

To request City Council approval of resolutions related to the Burbank Water Reclamation Plant Biological Nutrient Removal Improvements � Package B (Bid Schedule No. 1160).  These resolutions would:

 

1.      Approve contract documents and award contracts for construction for Bid Schedule No. 1160.

2.      Approve a Professional Service Agreement for Construction Management Services.

 

BACKGROUND:

 

The Burbank Water Reclamation Plant (BWRP) is a tertiary wastewater treatment plant that is rated for an average design flow of 9 million gallons of water per day (MGD).  The plant was originally built in 1966 as a secondary treatment facility with a 6 MGD flow capacity.  In 1971, the plant was expanded to 9 MGD and tertiary filtration was added to improve effluent quality.  A 1999 upgrade included adding a new chlorine contact tank, replacing the old tertiary filters with new deep-bed effluent filters, and improving the chemical feed and aeration system. 

 

In December 2001, Council approved Burbank Water Reclamation Plant Biological Nutrient Removal Improvements - Package A (BNR � Package A). The purpose of this project was to convert the BWRP to a nitrification and denitrification (NDN) facility. This upgrade included significant modifications to the aeration basins and the secondary clarifiers.  The NDN process provides for the removal of ammonia from the effluent.  This upgrade was necessary to comply with future ammonia discharge limits that will be imposed by the Regional Water Quality Control Board. 

 

This recently completed upgrade, BNR � Package A, has been successful. Ammonia concentrations in the effluent have gone from an average of 18 milligrams per liter (mg/L) to below 0.5 mg/L.  The success of this upgrade will allow the City to meet an upcoming ammonia discharge limit of 2.2 mg/L.

 

The BNR � Package A upgrade was the first step in a two-step upgrade to convert the biological and chemical operations at the BWRP.  Package A completed the majority of the work on the biological conversion, and the majority of Package B consists of the conversion of the chemical system.

 

The BNR � Package B upgrade includes the conversion of the disinfection process, modification of the return activated sludge pump system, construction of a new chemical storage building, modifications to an existing chlorine contact chamber, and electrical demolition, relocation and replacement. 

 

Bid Schedule No. 1160 was advertised for construction bids on February 21 and 25, 2004. A bid opening was held on April 13, 2004, and three contractors submitted bids ranging from $3,421,299 to $3,491,780.  The bid results were as follows:

 

Bidder�s Name	Bid Amount
Abhe & Svoboda Inc.	$3,421,299.00
Griffith Company	$3,489,509.50
Nissho Iwai American Corp./ Turboflo Engineers L.P.J.V.	$3,491,780.00

 

ANALYSIS:

 

Abhe & Svoboda Incorporated (ASI) submitted the lowest bid which is fourteen percent below the engineer�s estimate of $4,000,000.  The number of bids and the similarity in bid amounts reveals that there was a good project understanding by the bidders and that competitive bids were received for a complex project. 

 

 Staff evaluated ASI�s bid proposal and determined that the company has the requisite qualifications to satisfactorily complete this project.  Construction of this project is planned to occur between June 2004 and March 2005. The work is to be completed within 270 calendar days.

 

Pursuant to Section 15070 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), a Mitigated Negative Declaration was prepared for Packages A and B. No comments were submitted, and State Clearinghouse has acknowledged that the City has complied with review requirements for draft environmental documents. 

 

Construction Management Selection

 

Due to the aggressive construction schedule, staff recommends using a consultant for construction management and inspection services.  In order to maintain continuity on the project, staff recommends that Kennedy/Jenks be awarded a contract for construction management services.   Having completed the design on the project, any discrepancies between design and actual field conditions can be quickly resolved by Kennedy / Jenks.  Therefore, staff recommends approving the attached Professional Services Agreement with Kennedy/Jenks for $469,550 and dispensing with another competitive proposal process.   This proposed amount is competitive for a project of this technical complexity and schedule compression.