SR-506-001-03-01 (3)
PCD:TMGMT:LD:F:\PCD\SHARE\COUNCIL2001\CROSSWALKS1bAWARD
Council Meeting: May 22, 2001 Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Award of Construction Contract for the Pedestrian and Crosswalk
Improvements, Phase 1 (b)
Introduction
This report recommends that the City Council award a contract for the construction of
Pedestrian and Crosswalk Improvements, Phase 1 (b) to Terra-Cal, the best bidder, in
the amount of $2,355,288 (excluding contingency) and to authorize the Transportation
Planning Manager to issue any necessary change orders within budget authority to a
total expenditure not to exceed $2,614,370.
Background
In September 1998, the City Council directed staff to complete a Pedestrian Crosswalk
Enhancements study. The study recommended ways to improve pedestrian crossings
along Montana Avenue, Ocean Avenue, Neilson Way and Barnard Way. Council
reviewed the study recommendations in August 1999 and directed staff to design and
construct them. Implementation of improvements at locations where pavement markings
were the only recommendations was completed last spring. This project (Phase 1B)
includes locations where improvements such as curb ramps and lighting are required to
support the markings. It also includes permanent installation of median islands and
repaving of Neilson Way.
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Discussion
The goal of pedestrian and crosswalk improvements is to enhance pedestrian
movement and safety along identified study corridors. This construction package
includes all of the remaining improvements to complete the implementation of crosswalk
improvements along Montana Avenue, Ocean Avenue, Neilson Way and Barnard Way.
The Notice Inviting Bids for construction of the project was published in the Metro
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section of the Los Angeles Times on April 9 and in the Dodge Report Green Sheet on
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April 9 and April 10. A Notice Inviting Bids, along with the plans and specifications,
was also provided to 11 construction journals and plan rooms, including 5
women/minority business enterprise (WMBE) associations. Twenty-seven contractors
requested bid packages. The City Clerk's Office received eight sealed bids, which were
publicly opened and read aloud on April 24, 2001, by the Deputy City Clerk. The bid
results were as follows:
Contractor Base Bid
Pima Corporation dba: Advanced Construction $2,259,489.00
Terra-Cal Construction $2,355,288.00
Sequel Contractors Inc. $2,372,443.00
Palp, Inc. dba Excel Paving Company $2,486,504.00
Shawnan $2,527,935.00
Sully-Miller Contracting Co: $2,547,161.50
Los Angeles Engineering $2,804,041.75
Tapuz Enterprises, Inc: $3,152,149.00
$2,400.000-
Engineer's Estimate
$2,900,000
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City staff and its construction manager, CBM, Inc. evaluated the bids and concluded
that, pursuant to criteria set forth in S.M.M.C. Section 2.24.072, Terra-Cal Construction
submitted the best bid. This decision is based on all of the criteria relevant to the bid.
The City has absolute discretion in determining the applicability and weight, or relative
weight, of some or all of the criteria listed in Section 2.24.072. Even though Pima
Corporation submitted the lowest monetary bid ($95,799 or 4% less than Terra-Cal?s
bid), the Code expressly provides that the City is not required to select the lowest
monetary bidder, and staff is concerned with Pima?s ability to satisfactorily complete the
work.
Reference checks revealed that the performance of Pima Corporation on other City of
Santa Monica projects has been well below expectations. Although Pima Corporation
has recently been awarded another City project, staff feel that it would be preferable
that only one project is undertaken by them at a time and that it be a project of a smaller
scope.
Over 30% of the value of the project consists of signal installation. Pima Corporation?s
subcontractor, All-Electrical, is a sole proprietorship and at the time of the bid opening
had no employees. In addition, thermoplastic striping is a specialty component of this
project. Pima did not list a subcontract for this work, which could be interpreted as
either non-responsive or as an assertion by Pima Corporation that it would perform this
work. When questioned, Pima Corporation asserted that the work would be done by a
person who would be on the payroll (an ?employee?) rather than a subcontractor.
However, it appears that this arrangement is effectively a subcontractor arrangement,
borne out by a written statement by the person in question.
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On the other hand, all of the reference checks on Terra-Cal Construction provided high
ratings. All contractors proposed by Terra-Cal Construction are regarded as good,
experienced subcontractors with well-qualified and adequate workforces. The State
Contractors? License Board verified that the Contractor?s license is current, active, and
in good standing. Terra-Cal is rated as the ?best bid? because of those considerations
and the fact that their price was within 4% of the lowest bid.
Project Schedule
Improvements on Montana Avenue are to be implemented by September 28, 2001.
Improvements on Ocean Avenue and Barnard Way will be constructed as expeditiously
as possible without disruption of summer traffic. Timing of construction on Neilson Way
is being coordinated with a sewer project currently underway on this street, so that the
median islands and paving will be completed following the sewer improvements.
Currently, the sewer contractor is not expected to finish work in Neilson Way until
September 2001. The final completion of the project, including completion of Neilson
Way improvements is scheduled for December 21, 2001.
Budget/Financial Impact:
Funds required for this project are as follows:
Construction Contract $2,355,288.00
Authorized Funding Total $2,614,370.00
Funds for the project are available in: account number C01045600.589000 Crosswalk
improvements ($1,586,866), account C01045601.589000 Crosswalk improvements
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($227,506), account number C01084301.589000 Neilson Way Improvements
($555,000), and in C01015200.589 a street paving account managed by the
Engineering Division ($245,000).
CEQA Analysis
The proposed project has been determined to be categorically exempt from the
provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to Article 19,
Section 15301 ( c ) which was recently amended to define Class 1 exempt projects in
the following way: "Class 1 consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting,
leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities,
mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving little or no expansion of use
beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency?s determination. . ." This exemption
lists as an example of "existing facilities:" "( c ) Existing highways and streets,
sidewalks, gutters, bicycle and pedestrian trails, and similar facilities." The pedestrian
and crosswalk enhancements include minor alterations of existing streets and sidewalks
and include negligible or no expansion of these existing facilities.
Recommendations:
1. Award a contract to Terra-Cal Construction in the amount of $2,355,288.00
excluding contingency.
2. Authorize the Transportation Planning Manager to issue any necessary
change orders within budget authority to a total expenditure not to exceed
$2,614,370, pursuant to Administrative Instructions on change orders.
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Prepared by: Suzanne Frick, Director of Planning and Community Development
Lucy Dyke, Transportation Planning Manager
Beth Rolandson, Transportation Planning Associate
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