City of Lawrence

Utilities Department 

MEMORANDUM

TO: David L. Corliss, City Manager

Cynthia Boecker, Assistant City Manager

                   Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager

FROM:         Philip E. Ciesielski, Assistant Director of Utilities

CC:                        Dave Wagner, Director of Utilities

                   Mike Lawless, Assistant Director of Utilities

                   Beth Frailey Krishtalka, Management Analyst

Mark Hegeman, Wastewater Systems Manager

Dave King, Maintenance Manager

DATE:           April 1, 2009

RE:                  April 7, 2009 Agenda Item – Execute Design Phase Engineering Services Agreement for Project WW0601 Anaerobic Digester Improvements at the Lawrence Wastewater Treatment Plant

Please include the following item on the City Commission agenda for consideration at the April 7, 2009 meeting.

Authorize the City Manager to execute an Engineering Services Agreement in the amount of $388,990.00 with Black & Veatch for Design Phase Engineering services in conjunction with project WW0601 improvements to the Anaerobic Digester Process at the City of Lawrence Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Project Description:

The project involves the design of a thermal dyer dewatering process and odor control, associated modifications to the existing biosolids dewatering building to accommodate the dryer installation, modifications to existing piping and valves in the solids and gas control buildings, installation of insulation on the concrete roof of Digester 1, modifications to the gas control building/equipment to allow processing of additional digester gas and an evaluation of energy recovery from the digester gas system. 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.

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 Status/ Details:

Staff have negotiated a design phase engineering services contract in the amount of $388,990.00 with Black & Veatch for design, permitting and bid phase activities. The contract schedule has been compressed in an effort to fast-track the project and allow the project to be bid for construction as early as September 2009. This accelerated approach has been taken in anticipation of including the construction phase in the projects to be evaluated for stimulus package funding. Staff are continuing to submit information to KDHE regarding this project and the potential expansion of the project scope to include additional energy recovery aspects which may make the project eligible for the award of stimulus funding identified for “green” initiatives.  

Project Funding:

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

Action Request:

Authorize the City Manager to execute an Engineering Services Agreement in the amount of $388,990.00 with Black & Veatch for Design Phase Engineering services in conjunction with project WW0601 improvements to the Anaerobic Digester Process at the City of Lawrence Wastewater Treatment Plant.