TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: Jonathan R. Lewis, ICMA-CM, City Manager
TITLE: Approve Contract No. 2017-08 between the City of North Port and C-Squared Certified General Contractor, Inc. to construct curbing around the South Biscayne Drive medians in the amount of $412,912.60, plus $15,000.00 for contingencies.
Recommended Action
Approve Contract No. 2017-08 between the City of North Port and C-Squared Certified General Contractor, Inc. to construct curbing around the South Biscayne Drive medians in the amount of $412,912.60 plus $15,000.00 for contingencies.
Background Information
The design of the medians on South Biscayne Drive from Safford Terrace to Elyton Drive originally consisted of Sabal Palm trees and grass. Residents in the South Biscayne Drive neighborhood expressed a desire for a higher intensity and quality of landscaping to beautify the roadway. In fiscal year 2013, the Department of Public Works developed the South Biscayne Drive Median Capital Improvements Project which was subsequently approved by the City Commission. The competitive bidding process was then utilized to acquire a contractor to construct the project. However, construction bids submitted by contractors exceeded the funded amount. The following options were discussed:
Ø Reevaluate design and types of plants and trees to be used in medians and revise landscaping plan.
Ø Change irrigation to pop up heads spray irrigation to simplify and standardize design and maintenance.
Ø Obtain additional funding for the redesign and addition of concrete curbing.
Concrete curbing was added around the perimeter of the medians to contain the landscaping mulch and serve as a protective barrier for the landscaping and irrigation. Construction of the concrete curbing and installation of the irrigation and landscaping were each bid separately to attract bidders qualified in the respective areas of work.
The City only received one bid for the concrete curbing for this project which may have resulted from the following contributing factors:
Ø The active economy has generated a significant amount of private development both within the City of North Port and in the surrounding cities and counties.
Ø The increased workload and bonding requirements of contractors has limited the bidding activity for smaller sized projects.
Staff renegotiated the proposed scope of services with C-Squared Certified General Contractors in an effort to reduce the proposed bid amount for the concrete curbing to be within the budgeted amount. This is permissible when only one bid is received. At the conclusion of the renegotiation discussion, there was a consensus to make the following changes to the contractor’s bid:
1. Subsequent to a recalculation by the Engineer-of-Record to correct the volume of soil needed by the calculated volume of mulch, the quantity of embankment soil to be added in the curbed medians was reduced from 3,410 cubic yards to 2,500 cubic yards.
2. Public Works staff will provide the Maintenance of Traffic on the project.
These two changes will reduce the contractor’s bid for the project to be within funding limits.
Another potential cost savings to the project is if the City of North Port Department of Public Works can supply the embankment soil if testing results are within parameters established by the Landscape Architect. C-Squared Certified General Contractors, Inc. has agreed to reduce the unit price of embankment from $36.50 per cubic yard to $26.45 per cubic yard, if the City provided soil meets the specifications. This credit would be administered through a deductive change order to the contract with C-Squared Certified General Contractors, Inc. A savings of approximately $25,000 could be realized if the Department of Public Works supplies the embankment soil.
During the regular City Commission meeting on December 13, 2016, Contract No. 2017-08, was presented to the City Commission for their consideration. The following provides a list of questions or comments expressed by the Commission and staff’s responses to the questions or comments:
1. Comment: The construction plans for the curbing should be revised to include language that the embankment soil may be provided by the City of North Port Department of Public Works. This is contingent upon final testing results confirming that the embankment soils are within parameters established by the Landscape Architect.
Response: C-Squared Certified General Contractors, Inc. has agreed to reduce the unit price of embankment from $36.50 per cubic yard to $26.45 per cubic yard, if the City provided soil meets the specifications. This credit would be administered through a deductive change order to the contract with C-Squared Certified General Contractors, Inc.
2. Comment: The construction plans for the curbing should be revised to include language that the Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) will be provided by the City of North Port Department of Public Works.
Response: The construction plans for the curbing have been revised to include language that the MOT will be provided by the City of North Port Department of Public Works. (See Attachment No. 5 and Attachment No. 6).
3. Comment: A cost analysis should be performed pertinent to the Department of Public Works providing the MOT for the Biscayne Drive curbing project in lieu of C-Squared Certified General Contractors, Inc. providing the MOT for the project.
Response: A cost analysis for the MOT for this project has been performed and is included as Attachment No. 10. The cost analysis revealed that it is slightly more expensive for the City to provide MOT for this project ($26,737) than the contractor ($24,500), a difference of $2,237. Public Works personnel costs are projected to be $21,987. Public Works has many of the required signs for MOT, however, it would still be necessary to purchase some signs in the amount of $4,750 for this project. At the conclusion of this project, Public Works would add these signs to their sign inventory for use on other internal projects.
The personnel costs for Public Works staff referenced above is currently budgeted, so there would not be an additional expenditure for personnel which would provide a cost saving for this project. Public Works has a total of two Traffic Control Technicians. One of the Traffic Control Technicians would be assigned to perform the MOT for this project. The job duties that the Traffic Control Technician would not be accomplishing while performing the MOT for this project would include the following: 1) Repair and reinstallation of 375 signs, 2) Installation of 375 new signs and 3) 160 hours of MOT for Public Works Operations Division scheduled projects as well as emergencies such as culvert pipe replacements, traffic control for vehicular accidents, etc. A second Public Works employee that would be assigned to perform the MOT for this project would be an Equipment Operator I. The job duties that the Equipment Operator I would not be accomplishing while performing the MOT for this project would include the following: 1) Mowing, trimming, weed-eating and trash collection of 479.5 acres of swale areas adjacent to roads and 2) Weed-eating and edging adjacent to sidewalks along undeveloped properties of arterial and collector roadways while he is performing the MOT for this project which includes mowing, litter collection, etc.
In summary, it is sometimes necessary for Public Works to participate with the contractor on special projects such as this neighborhood beautification project, the Espanola Avenue stormwater repairs project and the Trekell Street stormwater pipe replacement project. Benefits of the coordination between Public Works and the contractor includes cost savings for dewatering, maintenance of traffic, etc. The rationale for Public Works staff performing the MOT for this project is to ensure the expenditures are within the budgeted funds allocated for the project.
4. Question: Is there verbiage included in the contract which references the consequences for not completing the project on time?
Response: Yes, the consequences are liquidated damages. (See Attachment No. 1).
5. Comment: Verbiage should be included in contracts for future projects which provides incentives for completing projects early.
Response: Verbiage will be included in future projects which provides incentives for completing projects early.
6. Question: Why is the contractor only removing and replacing the two existing crosswalks at the intersection of South Biscayne Drive and Safford Terrace and on South Biscayne Drive between Lombra Avenue and San Jacinto Avenue and not installing other crosswalks?
Response: The contractor is only removing and replacing the existing crosswalks at these two locations to adhere to the elevations of the new curbing construction. There are no other new crosswalks included in this curbing project. A separate crosswalk project would be necessary with the appropriate funding allocated to construct additional new crosswalks along South Biscayne Drive in the future.
7. Question: Has verbiage been included in the South Biscayne Drive Median Curbing Project Request for Bid which requires the contractor of the curbing construction to coordinate with the contractor for the installation of the irrigation and landscaping?
Response: Yes, page 33, of the South Biscayne Drive Median Curbing Project Request for Bid No. 2017-08, SP-07 Coordination with South Biscayne Drive Median Irrigation and Landscaping Contractor states:
“The Contractor shall coordinate the median curbing work with the contractor installing the irrigation and landscaping in the medians following the curbing. Coordination and communication between the contractors for the curbing and for the irrigation and landscaping of the South Biscayne Drive medians is imperative.”
C-Squared Certified General Contractor, Inc. is determined to be a qualified and responsive bidder and staff recommends award of Contract No. 2017-08 to C-Squared Certified General Contractor, Inc. in the amount of $412,912.60, plus $15,000.00 for contingencies.
Strategic Plan
Maintained/Upgraded/Expanded City Infrastructure
Financial Impact
$127,637.42 is available in account number 115-2750-524.46-10
$300,275.18 is available in account number 306-5000-541.46-06
Procurement
C-Squared Certified General Contractor, Inc.
3547 53rd Avenue West #327
Bradenton, FL 34210
(941) 345-3093
Attachments:
1. Contract No. 2017-08
2. Notice of Intent to Award
3. Bid Tabulation Sheet
4. C-Squared Certified General Contractor, Inc. Bid Submittal
5. RFB No. 2017-08 With Addendum Redlined with Negotiated Changes
6. RFB No. 2017-08 With Addendum
7. Biscayne Drive Median Improvements Overall
8. Biscayne Drive Median Improvements Aerial View
9. PowerPoint Presentation
10. Cost Analysis for Maintenance of Traffic
11. Florida Division of Corporation Documents
Prepared by: Benjamin Newman, P.E.
Department Director: Juliana B. Bellia