Title
Resolution to Approve a Professional Services Agreement with Orchard, Hiltz & McCliment, Inc. ($968,348.00) for the Sanitary Sewer System Flow Monitoring and Wet Weather Evaluation Project
Memorandum
Attached for your review and approval is a resolution to authorize a Professional Services Agreement with Orchard, Hiltz & McCliment, Inc. (OHM) for professional engineering and public engagement services for the Sanitary Sewer System Flow Monitoring and Wet Weather Evaluation Project.
As the Footing Drain Disconnect (FDD) Program has been in place for over 10 years, it is appropriate to evaluate and document the effectiveness of the program on reducing the impacts of wet weather events on the City's sanitary sewer system. This review will allow the city to assess the sanitary basement backup risk that remains in original priority areas, and to identify other areas in the City that may require mitigation of their sanitary basement backup risk. In addition, as advances in technology and wet weather control methodologies have likely occurred over the past decade, it is also appropriate to review, evaluate and recommend the complete range of methods moving forward to further reduce these wet weather impacts.
Within the City of Ann Arbor, there are groups of homes that have experienced multiple basement flooding occurrences. Many of these have been the result of backup of wastewater from the sanitary sewers through basement floor drains. While the sanitary sewer system normally moves all of the wastewater to the Ann Arbor Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), when it rains some of this rain enters the sanitary sewer system and has occasionally exceeded the capacity of the system to move flows to the WWTP, resulting in basement backups. The City of Ann Arbor has taken a variety of approaches in the past to correct these problems with varied success.
A special task force comprised of homeowners, city staff, and experts in related disciplines was established in 1999 to define the scope of sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) or sewage backup problems due to wet weather conditions, and to identify possible effective solutions to minimize future sewage backup events. To focus the efforts of this SSO Prevention Advisory Task Force, five neighborhoods with high rates of basement flooding were selected for evaluation. The neighborhoods selected included about 5% of the area of the City of Ann Arbor and accounted for about 50% of the basement flooding problems that had been reported to the City of Ann Arbor. The analysis efforts and final recommendations for these priority areas were documented in the Sanitary Sewer Overflow Prevention Study (June 2001).
Alternative solutions were reviewed by the Task Force using a variety of selection criteria including quality of life, cost, and construction impacts. The 2001 Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) Prevention Study determined a comprehensive city-wide footing drain disconnection (FDD) program to be the best solution for the residents of Ann Arbor to meet these multiple objectives.
Since the inception of the FDD Program in October 2001, approximately 2,538 footing drains have been disconnected, including nearly 98% of the homes in the Bromley and Orchard Hills priority areas, and nearly 80% in the Dartmoor priority area. In addition, approximately 60% of the FDDs have been completed in the Morehead priority area and approximately 55% have been completed in the Glen Leven priority area.
The Project Management Services Unit issued a Request for Proposal (RFP #819) in November 2012 for a professional engineering firm to perform the following scope of work for this project:
· Perform flow monitoring on the sanitary sewer in the 5 priority areas from the 2001 study
· Update, calibrate, and validate the existing sanitary sewer model
· Evaluate the effectiveness of the current FDD Program
· Provide recommendations for reducing or eliminating wet weather flow impacts
· Perform extensive public engagement throughout the entire project, including a citizen Advisory Committee, a Technical Oversight Committee, focus groups, and the public at large.
In response to our request, we received five (5) proposals. A review team composed of City staff evaluated the proposals, interviewed three firms, and selected OHM for their proposed work plan, public engagement plan, staff qualifications and past involvement with similar projects.
OHM received updated Human Rights approval on September 21, 2012 and Living Wage approval on April 23, 2012.
Sufficient funds for the design engineering services for this project are available within the approved Sewer capital budget. This resolution will also establish a contingency amount of $192,000.00 (broken up into various components as described in Exhibit B of the attached Professional Services Agreement) in the event that additional flow monitoring needs to be performed due to dry weather conditions during the monitoring period. In addition, $85,000.00 is to be included in the project budget for the estimated staff time on the project allowing these costs to be captured as capitalized expenses.
Staff
Prepared by: Nicholas Hutchinson, P.E., Interim Project Management Manager
Reviewed by: Craig Hupy, Public Services Administrator
Approved by: Steven D. Powers, City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The existing Footing Drain Disconnection Program has been in place for over 10 years, and it is an appropriate time to evaluate and document the effectiveness of the program;
Whereas, Advances in technology and wet weather control methodologies have likely occurred over the past decade, it is also appropriate to review, evaluate and recommend a complete range of methods moving forward to further reduce wet weather impacts;
Whereas, Orchard, Hiltz & McCliment, Inc. of Livonia, Michigan has submitted to the City a proposal for the necessary services, setting forth the services to be performed by said firm and the payments to be made by the City therefore, all of which are agreeable to the City;
Whereas, Orchard, Hiltz & McCliment, Inc. received updated Human Rights approval on September 21, 2012 and Living Wage approval on April 23, 2012; and
Whereas, The required funds for the Professional Engineering Services are available within the approved Sewer capital budget;
RESOLVED, That a Professional Services Agreement with Orchard, Hiltz & McCliment, Inc. in the amount of $968,348.00 be approved for Professional Engineering Services for the Sanitary Sewer System Flow Monitoring and Wet Weather Evaluation Project;
RESOLVED, That a contingency amount of $192,000.00 be established within the project budget and that the City Administrator be authorized to approve additional Amendments to the Professional Services Agreement with Orchard, Hiltz & McCliment, Inc., not to exceed $192,000.00 in order to satisfactorily complete this project;
RESOLVED, That $85,000.00 be established within the project budget for the estimated staff time on the project;
RESOLVED, That the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized and directed to execute said agreement after approval as to form by the City Attorney and approval as to substance by the City Administrator; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be authorized to take the necessary administrative actions to implement this resolution.