September 28, 2004

SUBJECT: Award of Bid No. F0306-91 to Replace the Borregas Avenue Sanitary Sewer Line

Approval is requested for the award of a contract to Mountain Cascade, Inc., of Livermore, to replace the Borregas Avenue sanitary sewer line for the Department of Public Works Engineering Division Project Administration (Project #UY-02/01-04).

The Borregas Avenue sanitary trunk sewer line extends from Highway 237 to the Sunnyvale Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP), aligned under the easterly curb line of Borregas Avenue. The original sewer line was constructed in the mid-1960s using 33" diameter reinforced concrete pipe (RCP). This is one of the largest sewer trunks in the City. North of Highway 237 this trunk line carries the sanitary sewer flow from over a quarter of the City, including the downtown and civic center. As it approaches the WPCP it joins, or runs close to the trunk lines from the rest of the City. The crown (top curve) of the existing piping has been subject to corrosion from hydrogen sulfide gas generated by the raw sewage running through this pipe for approximately forty years.

Following the collapse of a portion of the existing RCP in 2000, approximately 750 lineal feet of sewer line was realigned to the centerline of the street between Moffet Park Boulevard and just south of Humbolt Court and replaced with 42" diameter vitrified clay pipe (VCP). The requested project will involve replacing the remaining 4200 lineal feet of 33" diameter RCP with 42" diameter product. The new pipe will either be VCP or lined reinforced concrete to provide a more resistant and stable sanitary sewer line. The project has been designed to attempt to avoid similar corrosion of the sewer main in the future, by use of the materials referenced, and specially lined manholes.

Bid specifications were prepared by Public Works and Purchasing staff. The Notice Inviting Bids was published in The Sun on July 7, 2004. The bid package was distributed to Bay Area Builders Exchanges and broadcast to potential contractors through the DemandStar by Onvia public procurement network. Twenty contractors requested bid documents.

Sealed bids were received and publicly opened on August 11, 2004.

Four responsive bids were received.

Staff recommends the acceptance of the bid from Mountain Cascade, Inc., the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.

A determination was made that this project will have no significant effect on the environment in accordance with CEQA guidelines for categorically exempt projects.

Project costs include:

Funds for this project will be available in Public Works Infrastructure Project No. 822780 - Borregas Sanitary Trunk Sewer Replacement upon completion of the project budget carryover process.

In a separate Report to Council, also being presented on September 28, 2004, Staff is recommending the adoption of Budget Modification No. 6. Budget Modification No. 6 authorizes the carryover of FY 2003/2004 project budget for this project.

Staff recommends that Council:

1. Award a contract, in substantially the same form as the attached draft and in the amount of $3,835,000, to Mountain Cascade, Inc., for the Borregas Avenue Sanitary Sewer Replacement Project; and

2. Approve a project contingency in the amount of $575,250 (15% of construction costs).

Prepared by:

Elaine Wesely
Purchasing Officer

Reviewed by:

Mary J. Bradley
Director, Finance

Reviewed by:

Marvin Rose
Director, Public Works

Approved by:

Amy Chan
City Manager

Draft General Construction Contract (PDF Format)