City of Lawrence

Utilities Department 

MEMORANDUM

TO: David L. Corliss, City Manager

Cynthia Boecker, Assistant City Manager

                   Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager

FROM:         Philip Ciesielski, Assistant Director of Utilities

CC:                        Dave Wagner, Utilities Director

                   Mike Lawless, Assistant Director or Utilities

                   Beth Frailey Krishtalka, Management Analyst

Mark Hegeman, Water Systems Manager

Dave King, Maintenance Manager

DATE:           November 5, 2008

RE:                  November 11, 2008 Agenda Item – Negotiate Design and Construction Phase Engineering Services for Project WW0601 Anaerobic Digester Improvements at the Lawrence Kaw Wastewater Treatment Plant

Please include the following item on the City Commission agenda for the November 11, 2008 meeting.

Authorize staff to negotiate an Engineering Services Contract with Black & Veatch for Design and Construction Phase Engineering services in conjunction with project WW0601 improvements to the Anaerobic Digester Process at the City of Lawrence Kaw Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Project Description:

The project involves converting an existing solids storage tank into a third anaerobic digester vessel and modifying the gas control building/equipment to allow processing additional digester gas. This is a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) project that was recommended as part of the 2003 Wastewater Master Plan. This project is required to increase the capacity of the wastewater plant’s solids processing stream to match the plant’s liquid processing capacity and provide treatment for a community of 100,000 persons.  

Project History:

January 2006: The Utilities Department advertised a request for proposals and received one response from Black & Veatch Corporation (B&V).  Camp Dresser McKee, Burns & McDonnell and Olsson Associates attended the mandatory site visit but elected not to submit proposals.  Carollo Engineers did not respond to the RFP.

February 2006: Utilities staff evaluated Black & Veatch’s proposal and recommended negotiating a contract based on the firm’s experience with the City’s existing digester process; experience with similar digester upgrade projects; and the ability to coordinate design at the Kaw Wastewater Treatment plant with regulatory matters, schedule and solids handling strategies for the future Wakarusa Wastewater Treatment Plant.

March/April 2006: Staff negotiated an Engineering Services Agreement with Black & Veatch Corporation for an evaluation and testing of the existing digester system and the delivery of a Pre-design Report outlining design options and a recommended scope of improvements.

December 2006: Black & Veatch submitted a Pre-design Report including costs outlining options for improvements to the digester process, solids drying and digester gas utilization. Upon receipt of the Pre-design Report staff paused the project while an evaluation of options for solids handling at the Wakarusa Water Reclamation Facility (WWRF), and its integration into existing processes, was completed as part of WWRF Basis of Design Report.

Staff have received the Wakarusa Water Reclamation Facility Basis of Design Report, including options and recommendations for solids handling, and are prepared to move forward with the design and construction of the recommended improvements to the anaerobic digester processes at the Kaw Wastewater Treatment Plant.

September 16, 2008: City Commission authorized the advertisement of a Request for Proposals for Design and Construction Phase Engineering Services for Project WW0601 Anaerobic Digester Improvements at the Lawrence Kaw Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Project Status/ Details:

October 17, 2008: In response to the Request for Proposals staff received proposals from two (2) firms interested in the project. Proposals were received from Burns & McDonnell and Black & Veatch.

A review committee consisting of Department of Utilities staff evaluated the two proposals.  Staff consistently ranked Black & Veatch as the highest qualified respondent for the project. As indicated in the RFP the following criteria were used to rate the responses:

Project qualifications & experience

Project staff & their experience with similar projects

Project knowledge & approach

Schedule

Project Funding:

The project has been included in the Department of Utilities proposed Capital Improvement Projects and Rate Plans for 2008 and 2009 at an estimated cost of $5,000,000.00. Of this $500,000.00 is included in the 2008 budget for design from reallocated 2007 bond funds and the additional funds for construction will be per a 2009 Bond issuance.

Action Request:

Authorize staff to negotiate an Engineering Services Contract with Black & Veatch for Design and Construction Phase Engineering services in conjunction with project WW0601 improvements to the Anaerobic Digester Process at the City of Lawrence Kaw Wastewater Treatment Plant.