Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Department of Utilities

TO:	David L. Corliss, City Manager Cynthia Wagner, 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 Krishtalka, Assistant to Director Mark Hegeman, Utilities Operations Superintendent
Date:	January 19, 2011
RE:	Agenda Item – Authorize the City Manager to Execute an Engineering Services Agreement with Professional Engineering Consultants for Project UT1003CS, 23^rd Street Bridge Replacement Utilities Relocation

Please include the following item on the City Commission agenda for consideration at the January 25, 2011 meeting:

Authorize the City Manager to Execute an Engineering Services Agreement in the amount of $110,601.00 with Professional Engineering Consultants for Design Phase Engineering Services and Property Acquisition for Project UT1003CS, 23^rd Street Bridge Replacement Utilities Relocation.

Project Details

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is in the process of design and property acquisition for the replacement of the 23^rd Street/K10 bridge located between Haskell and Learnard. KDOT anticipates completing design and bidding the project for construction starting in 2012. Utility relocations need to be completed by the end of the year 2011.

The City maintains four (4) existing sanitary sewer interceptor lines and forcemains constructed at various times and ranging in diameter from 27” to 12” which cross 23^rd Street under the existing bridge span (map attached). These lines are in conflict with the design and the construction area of the new bridge and require relocation prior to KDOT’s the construction of the new bridge. As part of the project the design will consider the consolidation of the existing multiple pipe crossings into a minimum number of crossings with appropriate influent and distribution structures upstream and downstream of the bridge crossing.

In addition to the sanitary sewer lines there is also approximately 2,000 lf of 8” & 12” diameter watermain within the area of the bridge project requiring relocation.

Project History

On July 21, 2010, the City Commission authorized staff to advertise a Request for Proposals for Design and Construction Phase Engineering Services for 23^rd Street KDOT bridge Replacement Utilities Relocations.

On August 27, 2010, in response to the Request for Proposals, staff received proposals from four (4) firms interested in the project. Proposals were received from BG Consultants; Delich, Roth, and Goodwillie; Professional Engineering Consultants (PEC), and Landplan Engineering.

A review committee consisting of Department of Utilities’ and City Manager’s staff evaluated the four proposals. Staff consistently ranked Professional Engineering Consultants as the highest qualified respondent for the project. As indicated in the RFP the following criteria were used to rate the responses:

· Project knowledge & approach

o PEC presented a detailed project approach which included specific work tasks related to the following:

§ Preliminary assessment of the existing infrastructure in this area is thorough. PEC identified the critical design challenges of relocating force mains that convey almost one half of the City’s wastewater flow. PEC understood that the design will need to maintain current level of service during construction. Also noted that design will need to include how the relocation will effect current pump operation.

§ Outlined a general project approach that was complete and practical.

§ Provided two preliminary alternative designs for consideration.

§ Considered additional criteria: trail enhancements, adding flow measurement to the forcemains, lighting, odor control, and maintenance access.

· Project qualifications and firm experience with similar projects

o PEC presented significant experience working with sanitary sewer interceptor design and forcemain relocation in fully developed environments. At the Topeka wastewater treatment plant, PEC designed the relocation of multiple large diameter force mains into one inlet/thrust block structure.

o PEC has included several waterline relocation projects.

· Key project staff experience

o PEC presented a project team well qualified to perform the work as requested in the RFP. Key project staff, as identified in the RFP, showed significant related experience on similar projects in Kansas. Additionally, as an engineering firm, PEC is capable of providing civil, survey, and electrical engineering services for the project and identified a geotechnical engineer (sub-consultant) as part of the project team.

· Schedule

o PEC presented a schedule that is reasonable and meets the construction deadline.

Each firm also provided a schedule of hourly rates with their proposal for reference. Hourly rates provided by PEC were found to be consistent with rates provided by other respondents.

On September 28, 2010 the City Commission authorized Staff to negotiate an engineering services agreement for the project.

Project Status

Subsequent to the City Commission’s authorization to negotiate the engineering services agreement Staff met with PEC’s project team to review the scope of the KDOT bridge project, its impact on the existing City water and sewer infrastructure and determine the appropriate scope of services for the engineering services agreement. The result of these discussions was to engage PEC in an initial limited scope of services via a purchase order aimed at defining the project to a point where a well defined engineering services agreement could be negotiated. The scope of these initial services was meeting and coordination with KDOT and HNTB (KDOT’s bridge design consulting engineering firm) on existing and pending bridge plans for the purpose of setting KDOT’s construction boundaries, determining acceptable utility construction methods and reviewing preliminary water and sanitary sewer relocation alignments with KDOT and HNTB prior to the City negotiating an engineering services agreement with PEC. PEC and Staff have completed the above tasks and HNTB and KDOT have provided approval of the proposed water and sanitary sewer alignments and construction methods.

Based on the preliminary designs the project will involve over 400 lf of cased bore for two (2) each 24” diameter gravity sanitary sewers across the KDOT right-of-way, construction of an upstream collection structure and downstream distribution structure, installation of approx. 1,300 lf of sanitary sewer including the cased pipes, adjustment and rehabilitation of 5 existing manholes and 600 lf of sanitary sewer within the KDOT project area that do not require relocation, and over 2,000 lf of 8” and 12” diameter watermain. The current construction cost estimate is $1,222,000.00.

Based on these preliminary designs Staff and PEC have negotiated an appropriate scope of services and fee for the design phase of the project including required easement acquisition. Design engineering services are $95,231.00 (7.8% of construction); field geotechnical services are $7,200.00 (0.6% of construction) and easement acquisition services of property survey, preparation of easement descriptions and strip maps are $8,170.00 (0.7% of construction) for a total contract value of $110,601.00. Based on the recently adopted Design Fee Guidelines Fee Curve the basic design engineering services as a percentage of construction for a $1,222,000.00 project is 7.9%. The fee is appropriate for the scope of services and in line with the anticipated fee per the Guidelines. Staff anticipate bringing a future agenda item for approval related to construction phase services in support of Department staff day to day construction inspection.

Some of the unique factors related to this project beyond the Basic Services outlined in the Guidelines are the design and phasing of the replacement of existing sanitary sewer infrastructure while maintaining service for nearly 50% of the City’s wastewater flows; special construction methods via long, large diameter cased bores in a constrained site; plans and specifications covering multiple construction methods – cased boring, trenching, CIPP; extensive coordination with KDOT and HNTB regarding the existing bridge structure, the proposed bridge and site conditions during construction. The preliminary work completed and decisions made via the purchase order has allowed for a fee to be negotiate that is within the range for basic services in spite of the factors listed above.

Project Funding

Funds for project design are included in the Department of Utilities 2010 rates and Capital Improvements budget. Funds for project construction are included in 2011 rates and non-bonded Capital Improvement Plan.

Action Request