Title
Resolution to Award a Contract to DLZ Michigan, Inc. to Design Repairs to the Wastewater Treatment Plant Access Bridge ($32,752.07)
Memorandum
Your approval is requested to award a Professional Services Agreement in the amount of $32,752.07 to DLZ Michigan, Inc. (DLZ) for engineering services to design short term repairs to the access bridge for the City's Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). The bridge was first constructed in 1934, and traverses the Huron River to provide access to the plant. The bridge also conveys three sanitary sewers and one natural gas line. Improvements to the bridge were made in 2000 when the bridge deck was overlaid, the railings and guardrails were replaced, the expansion joints were replaced, and the substructure was patched.
Under the supervision of the City's Project Management Unit, DLZ conducted a bridge inspection on October 14, 2012, and found the structure to be in fair condition with significant metal and concrete corrosion present. DLZ recommended that the City implement short term repairs to address the corrosion problems and implement long term improvements to extend the lifespan of the bridge. The short term improvements are scheduled to be completed this year and the long term improvements are planned after completion of the WWTP Facilities Renovations Project in 2017. Heavy traffic due to the Facilities Renovations Project makes it impractical to implement long term improvements now.
On December 20, 2013, the City's Procurement/Purchasing Unit advertised RFP No. 875 for engineering services to prepare detailed plans and specifications to bid and construct the short term repairs. On January 10, 2014, the City received one proposal from DLZ in the amount of $15,945.76 for the project. Upon receiving only one proposal for this project, WWTP staff asked several engineering firms why they did not respond. Concerns about having to subcontract a portion of the specialized scope of work as well as the relatively small size of the project were the reasons cited for not responding to RFP No. 875. WWTP staff spoke with the Procurement/Purchasing Unit about only receiving one proposal and it was decided to be in the City's best interests to negotiate the final scope of work for this project. Subsequent negotiations with DLZ, the City's Project Management Unit and WWTP staff, resulted in increasing the scope of work, primarily of a specialized nature. This additional work includes a more current bridge inspection, an updated physical survey and concrete core sample collection and analysis. The updated inspection and survey will better delineate the areas requiring repair and any changes in condition since the 2012 inspection that need to be addressed now. Structural information from the concrete core samples will help determine the condition and strength of the piers supporting the bridge and provide essential information to design engineers for both the short and long term improvements. In addition to the inspections, DLZ will prepare detailed plans and specifications that include all engineering disciplines necessary to produce final documents to publicly bid and construct the repairs.
There were several reasons why the contract was expanded with DLZ rather than soliciting additional proposals on the increased scope of work. DLZ specializes in bridge assessments and has performed the more recent bridge inspections for the WWTP access bridge through the City's Project Management Unit. Similarly, concrete sample collection and analysis can only be performed by a small number of consulting firms. Under the current proposal, Soil and Materials Engineers, Inc. (SME) will be contracting with DLZ to perform this work. Any engineering firm submitting a proposal for this project would likely subcontract to SME or another equivalent company for concrete sampling and analysis. DLZ's portion of the increased value and scope of work is less than the overall contract increase and is insufficient to attract other consulting firms to this project. The effort to re-advertise this design work would likely produce the same result considering that the core scope is still too small to attract larger engineering firms to compete against the same firms with which they would have to subcontract to perform the specialized work.
WWTP staff reviewed the proposed services and fees for this project and found them reasonable and consistent. DLZ received contract compliance approval on April 10, 2014, and complies with the City's living wage requirements. The standard Agreement for Professional Services without modifications will be used for this contract between the City and DLZ. Subsequent construction support services will be negotiated with DLZ and enacted as an amendment to this contract or as a new contract.
You are requested to award an agreement to DLZ in the amount of $32,752.07 with a contingency of $3,275.00 to finance amendments to the agreement necessary to complete the project. Further, you are requested to approve the contract for the life of the project with funds to be available until expended without regard to fiscal year and to authorize the City Administrator to approve amendments to the agreement up to the amount of the contingency. Funds to finance this project are available in the approved FY14 WWTP Operations and Maintenance Budget of the Sewage Disposal System.
Staff
Prepared by: Michael D. Amicangelo, P.E., Senior Engineer, WWT Services
Reviewed by: Craig Hupy, Public Services Administrator
Approved by: Steven D. Powers, City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The City's Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) has an access bridge that traverses the Huron River and was constructed in 1934;
Whereas, A bridge inspection, conducted on October 14, 2012, found the structure to be in fair condition with significant metal and concrete corrosion present;
Whereas, The inspection report concluded that the City should implement short term repairs now to address the corrosion problems and implement long term improvements after completion of the Facilities Renovations Project to extend the lifespan of the bridge;
Whereas, Through RFP No. 875, DLZ Michigan, Inc. (DLZ) was selected to provide engineering services to prepare detailed plans and specifications to bid and construct the short term repairs;
Whereas, DLZ's scope was increased to include a current and more comprehensive inspection of the bridge's condition and the collection and analysis of concrete core samples from the bridge piers;
Whereas, DLZ received Human Rights approval on April 10, 2014, and complies with the City's living wage requirements; and
Whereas, Funding is available in the approved FY14 WWTP Operation and Maintenance Budget of the Sewage Disposal System.
RESOLVED, That Council approve a Professional Services Agreement with DLZ for $32,752.07 to provide the professional engineering services to design repairs to the WWTP access bridge;
RESOLVED, That Council approve a contingency of $3,275.00 to address additional services that may be needed;
RESOLVED, That Council approve the agreement for the life of the project with funds to be available until expended without regard to fiscal year and authorize the City Administrator to approve amendments to the Agreement up to the amount of the contingency; and
RESOLVED, That the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized to execute the agreement after approval as to substance by the City Administrator and approval as to form by the City Attorney.