TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Mark Danaj, City Manager
FROM:
Tony Olmos, Public Works Director
Karen Domerchie, Senior Management Analyst
SUBJECT:Title
Approval of Plans and Specifications; Award Strand Stairs Rehabilitation Project to RSB Group, Inc. in the Amount of $ 1,701,000 and Authorize the City Manager to Approve a Construction Contingency in the Amount Not-to-Exceed $255,150 (Public Works Director Olmos).
APPROVE
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Approve the Plans and Specifications for the Strand Stairs Rehabilitation Project,
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute a contract in the amount of $ 1,701,000 with RSB Group, Inc. for the Strand Stairs Rehabilitation Project,
3. Authorize the City Manager to approve a construction contingency in an amount not-to-exceed $255,150 (15%).
Body
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are sufficient funds available to fully fund this project. Approval of a task order for construction management/inspection services for this project in the amount of $145,820 will come before City Council on March 1, 2016. See Attachment 1 for funding/expenditure summary.
BACKGROUND:
There are currently two major recreational features located along the City’s entire two mile coastline, a pedestrian walkway (Strand) owned and maintained by the City and the Marvin Braude Bike Path (Bike Path) owned and operated by the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works. The Bike Path is situated to the west of the Strand and is separated from the Strand by a vegetated slope of varying widths and grade.
The proposed improvements will provide safe access from the Strand to the beach and will comply with current ADA requirements. Specifically, the scope of the project includes the replacement of eight existing stairs, and the repair of sixteen existing stairs located between the Strand and the Bike Path. Since its inception, this project has received public input from three community meetings, has been presented to Cultural Arts Commission, and has been presented to City Council on a number of occasions.
Another related project includes repairs and aesthetic treatments to retaining walls located at 14th Street, 16th Street, 20th Street and Rosecrans Avenue. This project has been completed. However, per City Council direction, staff will present aesthetic treatment modification options at a subsequent meeting when a significant portion of the Strand Stair project has been substantially completed and compatibility between the two projects could be further assessed. Weather permitting, staff estimates that the retaining wall aesthetic modification options would come before City Council in May/June 2016.
DISCUSSION:
This project was advertised for bids twice before. Both times, there were only 2 bids received and both times the bids were too high. City Council rejected bids in November 2014 and July 2015.
Since then, staff has reached out to the contracting community and solicited input as to how this project could be made more attractive to more bidders. Upon contractor recommendations, staff made changes to the plans to allow for fabrication of smaller segments of balustrade rails and allowing additional space for construction staging. To address the project shortfall, City Council approved use of additional federal funds in the amount of $481,249 to fully fund the project on September 15, 2015.
Construction Bid Proposals
This project was advertised for bids in the Beach Reporter, the City’s publisher of record, and several standard construction industry publications, including the Dodge Green Sheet, Reed Construction Data, and Associated General Contractors of America. A total of 5 bids were received and opened on January 20, 2016. The bid results are as follows (order based on base bid amount):
Contractor Base Bid Amount Add Alternate No.1 Total Bid
RSB Group, Inc. $1,498,000 $203,000 $1,701,000
Vido Samarzich $1,678,000 $267,000 $1,945,000
Act 1 Construction, Inc. $1,683,843 $136,530 $1,820,373
Ruiz Brothers $1,853,763 $122,237 $1,976,000
Future DB International $2,112,200 $125,800 $2,238,000
The base bid included the removal and replacement or repair of various stairs from 8th Street to 42nd Street. The Add Alternate No.1 included the repair of four additional stairs and replacement of railings at 17th Street, 19th Street, 38th Street and 42nd Street.
RSB Group, Inc.’s bid was reviewed by the Public Works Department and found to be responsive. Staff reviewed RSB Group’s contractor’s license and found it to be in order. Additionally, references indicate RSB Group has the knowledge and capability to complete the work in a timely and acceptable manner.
Based on available budget, staff is recommending award of the Base Bid plus Add Alternate No.1 to RSB Group, Inc.
Authorization of Additional Work
It is recommended that the City Manager be authorized to approve change orders in an amount not-to-exceed $255,150 (15% of contract cost) for additional work resulting from unforeseen conditions and/or potential changes to the existing retaining wall aesthetics.
Construction Schedule
It is estimated that construction will start on March 1, 2016 and will be completed in 120 working days. Construction will not occur during the summer months, from Memorial weekend to Labor Day weekend. Construction will resume after Labor Day weekend.
POLICY ALTERNATIVES:
ALTERNATIVE #1
Do not approve the construction contract to replace and/or repair the Strand Stairs from 8th Street to 42nd Street.
PROS:
Capital improvement funds and federal funds would not be expended to replace the Strand Stairs.
CONS:
The existing Strand Stairs would be left in poor condition, with deteriorated concrete and exposed rebar at the balustrades, and the stairs would continue to not meet ADA accessibility standards.
PUBLIC OUTREACH/INTEREST:
The residential areas impacted by this project will be provided advance information regarding the project, including dates and times of construction and the impacts on the Strand. Contact information will also be provided for residents who require additional information. A community meeting will be scheduled for March 2016 to discuss aspects of the construction project.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires public agencies to document and consider the environmental implications of their actions. Based on the scope of work, the Strand Stair Rehabilitation Project is categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15301, Class 1(b). The project consists of a repair to existing concrete stairs involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond what previously existed. A Notice of Exemption has been filed with the Los Angeles County Clerk’s office for the project.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The construction contract has been signed by the contractor and has been approved as to form by the City Attorney.
Attachments:
1. Budget / Expenditure Worksheet
2. Construction Contract