Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute a One-Year Agreement, with the Option of Four One-Year Extensions, with Spencon Construction Incorporated for a Total Five-Year Compensation Not-to-Exceed $4,555,650 for Sidewalk Replacement Services, No. P.W. 06-23-17. (Public Works 31041520)
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), this action is categorically exempt from further environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities).
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Alameda (City) has over 260 miles of sidewalk. Safe, accessible, and well-maintained sidewalks are fundamental to mobility, accessibility and healthy communities. The City is in need of sidewalk replacement services, including curb ramps, driveways and curb/gutter. A call for bids was posted and staff recommends award of a one-year term with the option to extend for four additional one-year terms for a total not-to-exceed $4,555,650 to Spencon Construction Inc.
BACKGROUND
The sidewalk system is a vital component of the City’s infrastructure and plays an essential role in City life. As conduits for pedestrian movement and access, they enhance connectivity and promote walking. As public spaces, they can activate streets socially and economically. Safe, accessible, and well-maintained sidewalks are fundamental to mobility, accessibility and healthy communities.
The City has approximately 260 miles of sidewalk and over 23,000 street trees. As the trees grow and mature, site conditions, such as narrow planting strips, high ground water, soil conditions, and over irrigation of adjacent private property, result in tree roots raising the sidewalk, curb, gutter, and pavement area. In addition, sidewalk adjacent to driveways can crack and erode due to vehicle use. While the Alameda Municipal Code (AMC) identifies the adjacent property owner as being responsible for maintaining the sidewalk, curb, gutter, and driveway approaches, the City’s long-standing practice is to repair sidewalk damaged by street trees, with other repairs being the responsibility of the property owner.
The City’s sidewalk program currently consists of three components: 1) removal and replacement of sidewalk damaged by street trees; 2) concrete saw cutting of sidewalk damaged by street trees; and 3) notification to property owners informing them of their responsibility to repair damage not caused by street trees.
In July 2022, City Council awarded a three-year contract to Precision Concrete Cutting (PCC) who specializes in trip hazard removal. Concrete cutting leaves a clean repair and is sloped to meet Americans with Disability Act (ADA) standards. Concrete saw cutting, when possible, can address more tripping hazards with limited resources than removal and replacement alone. Although the cause of the uplift-differential settlement or tree roots is not addressed with this methodology, it removes the tripping hazard and extends the time before the removal and replacement work must be done. Under their existing and previous contracts with the City, PCC has removed over 17,000 trip hazards.
When concrete cutting cannot address the disrepair, more extensive sidewalk replacement work is needed, included curb ramps, driveways and curb/gutter. While the City has in-house staffing, it is insufficient to keep up with the work demand and this same City crew is also responsible for completing other tasks such as regular clean ups as part of the City’s homeless services, leaf season vacuuming and a variety of other street maintenance tasks. Contractual support is needed for sidewalk replacement services.
Lastly, the City sends notices to property owners informing them of their responsibility to repair damage not caused by street trees. Sidewalk repair work can be costly and unexpected if the homeowner is not aware of their responsibility. Staff will be returning to Council later this year to convene a working session on options for refining the sidewalk replacement program. Staff will seek City Council input on options to lower barriers for property owners to execute repair work deemed their responsibility; explore alternative options on where and how to focus City Council appropriated funds for sidewalk repair work; and discuss enforcement, as a component of the overall program.
DISCUSSION
On July 17, 2023, the Public Works Department sent out Plans and Specification for Repair of Portland Cement Concrete Sidewalks, Curbs, Gutters, Driveways, Culverts, and Minor Street Patching, FY23-24, No. P.W. 06-23-17. To solicit the maximum number of bids and most competitive price, the Project Manual was provided to builders’ exchanges throughout the Bay Area, notices were sent to contractors on the Public Works Department contractor list, a notice was placed on the City’s web page, and the project was advertised in the Alameda Sun on July 20, 2023. After a bidding period of 21 days, 2 contractors submitted bids. The bids were opened on August 7, 2023. The bid results are as follows:
|
Bidder |
Location |
Bid Amount |
|
Spencon Construction, Inc. |
Danville, CA |
$ 1,399,400 |
|
R.E. Maher, Inc. |
American Canyon, CA |
$ 1,513,645 |
Staff contacted two references provided by the low bidder and received positive feedback about the quality and timeliness of their work. Staff recommends awarding the contract to Spencon Construction Inc. This contract may be mutually extended on a year-by-year basis, for up to four additional years, based, at a minimum, on satisfactory performance of all aspects of the contract and at the sole discretion of the Public Works Director. If extended, the contract would be for the same terms and cost, plus an annual increase equal to the construction price index increase for the San Francisco Bay Area appropriate to the trades associated with the work as reported in the Engineering News Record for the previous calendar year. The specifications informed the successful bidder that they shall pay not less than the prevailing rate of per diem wages as determined by the Director of the California Department of Industrial Relations. In addition, this contract is subject to the City’s Project Stabilization Agreement. The contract is attached as Exhibit 1.
The locations to be included under this contractual work are identified by resident calls and an annual inspection program. The City is divided into five zones plus Alameda Point. Funds are focused in one zone each year, so that once every five years each zone is revisited. The initial year of the proposed contract will be using funds from Fiscal Year 2022-23 and FY 2023-24 and therefore focus on two zones, Zone 1 (Bay Farm) and Zone 2 (Main to Webster). There are locations in Zone 3 (Webster to Grand) that were not addressed under the previous contract (FY 2021-22) that will be addressed in the initial year of the proposed contract. Subsequent years will focus on other zones.
ALTERNATIVES
• Award the contract as recommended.
• Increase or reduce the scope/budget of the proposed contract before awarding.
• Do not award the contract and provide staff a different direction for sidewalk replacement work.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Funding for sidewalk replacement is budgeted in the Sidewalks Capital Improvement Program (Project No. C14000) with monies allocated from the Measure BB (Fund 231). This contract will also replace storm culverts and curb/gutter disrepair that is causing ponding issues. This work is budgeted in the Stormwater Management CIP (Project No. C31000) and funded by the Stormwater Fund (Fund 264). Any contract amount beyond FY 2024-25 will be subject to future available appropriations approved by the City Council. There is no impact to the General Fund.
|
Fiscal Year |
CIP C14000 |
CIP C31000 |
Total Contract |
|
2023-24 |
$1,200,000 |
$199,400 |
$1,399,400 |
|
2024-25 |
$500,000 |
$250,000 |
$750,000 |
|
2025-26 |
$525,000 |
$250,000 |
$775,00 |
|
2026-27 |
$551,250 |
$250,000 |
$801,250 |
|
2027-28 |
$580,000 |
$250,000 |
$830,000 |
|
Total: |
$4,555,650 |
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with the Alameda Municipal Code.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
In accordance with CEQA, this action is categorically exempt from further environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities).
CLIMATE IMPACTS
Safe, walkable sidewalks are essential to meeting the vehicle miles traveled reduction goals in the City’s Climate Action and Resiliency Plan. Although cement manufacturing contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, the City’s contractor is required to recycle a minimum of 95% of the concrete removed.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager to execute a one-year agreement with the option of four one-year extensions with Spencon Construction Incorporated for a total five-year compensation not-to-exceed $4,555,650, for sidewalk replacement services, No. P.W. 06-23-17. (Public Works 310)
Respectfully submitted,
Erin Smith, Public Works Director
By,
Cristela Soto, Project Manager
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibit:
1. Agreement