TITLE
Recommendation to adopt Plans and Specifications No. R-6983 for construction of the Naples Island Permanent Seawall Repairs Phase 1 project; award the contract to Ford E.C., Inc., of Los Angeles, CA, in the amount of $9,928,380; authorize a 15 percent contingency in the amount of $1,489,257, for a total contract amount not to exceed $11,417,637; authorize City Manager or designee to execute all documents necessary to enter into the contract, including any necessary amendments thereto; and increase appropriations in the Tidelands Operations Fund (TF 401) in the City Manager Department (CM) by $4,000,000. (District 3)
DISCUSSION
The Naples Island Seawalls (Seawalls), built in the 1930s, were evaluated in 2009 and found to be in a state of significant disrepair. The purpose of the Project is to repair the Seawalls located on the Rivo Alto Canal between the Ravenna and The Toledo bridges (Exhibit A - Vicinity Map). The Project represents the first of a six-phase process to repair all of the public Seawalls. The Phase 1 portion of the Seawalls is the most deteriorated and in imminent danger of collapse in the event of a moderate earthquake. In June 2010, the City Council approved $9.5 million in funding for the Project, and staff is ready to proceed with construction.
The Project consists primarily of the installation of a new steel sheet-pile seawall on the water side of the existing concrete seawalls along both sides of Rivo Alto Canal (1,915 total lineal feet), construction of a new pile cap, new guardrails, sidewalks, an improved drainage system, and modified access platforms, pipe moorings and ladders. The Project also includes the relocation of existing street lighting along the canal.
On October 9, 2013, the California Coastal Commission (CCC) unanimously approved the City's application to proceed with the Project, but imposed special conditions of approval (Exhibit B - CCC Notice of Intent to Issue Permit). CCC Special Conditions #3 and #6 require the development and implementation of a Habitat Mitigation Program (HMP) that will offset the Project's impact to eelgrass and soft-bottom habitat. The required mitigation will occur at the Colorado Lagoon. A conceptual plan for the mitigation, which is designed to meet current and future mitigation needs associated with all six phases of the Naples Island Permanent Seawall Repairs project, has been reviewed and approved by the CCC. The HMP will enhance ongoing restoration efforts at Colorado Lagoon by creating approximately 1.5 acres of additional intertidal and shallow soft-bottom habitat, and up to 1.8 acres of eelgrass habitat. The estimated cost of implementing the HMP at Colorado Lagoon is $5,000,000, which will be requested as part of the Fiscal Year 2015 CIP Budget.
Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act, the Planning Commission certified a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Project on May 6, 2010. Issuance of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit and a Regional Water Quality Control Board permit are pending and must be obtained prior to initiating construction. State Lands Commission approval of the project is also necessary, and is anticipated to be considered at its next meeting in June 2014. The notice of intent to award will include this condition for the majority of the contract.
The bid was advertised in the Press Telegram on January 25,2014, and 2,770 potential bidders specializing in construction were notified of the bid opportunity. Of those bidders, 92 sets of bid documents were purchased or downloaded via our electronic bid system. The bid document was made available from the Purchasing Division, located on the seventh floor of City Hall and from the Division's website at www.longbeach.gov/purchasing, and was also sent to several trade publications and plan rooms catering to these groups within the construction industry. A bid announcement was also included in the Purchasing Division's weekly update of Open Bid Opportunities, which is sent to 30 local, minority and women-owned business groups. Nine bids were received on February 24, 2014. Of the nine bidders, none were Minority-owned Business Enterprises (MBEs), none were Women-owned Business Enterprises (WBEs), none were Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs), one was a certified Small Business Enterprises (SBE), and none were Long Beach businesses (Local). Ford E.C., Inc., of Los Angeles, CA (not an MBE, WBE, DBE, SBE or Local), has been determined to be the lowest responsible bidder.
Local Business Outreach
In an effort to align with our outreach goal, Long Beach businesses were encouraged to submit bids for City contracts. The Purchasing Division assisted businesses with registering on the Bids Online database to download bid specifications. Through outreach, 277 Long Beach vendors were notified to submit bids, of which seven downloaded; however, none submitted a bid. The Purchasing Division is committed to continuing to perform outreach to local vendors to expand the bidder pool.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Linda Vu and by Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on April 23, 2014.
SUSTAINABILlTY
The Project requires the use of a silent pile driver to help reduce noise pollution during construction, and includes construction of a new drainage system. The drainage system will minimize runoff and storm water impacts, and will include filtration systems to prevent trash and debris from entering the storm drain system to help improve water quality.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action on this matter is requested on May 6, 2014, to authorize construction of this safety-related capital improvement project. Construction will begin following receipt of the required permits, State Lands Commission approval, and upon manufacturing and delivery of the steel sheet piles, which are anticipated to arrive on-site in August 2014.
FISCAL IMPACT
The estimated cost of the Phase 1 Project is $13,500,000 and includes engineering design, technical studies, regulatory permits, construction, construction management and inspections. On June 15, 2010, the City Council allocated $9,500,000 for seawall repairs from the FY 2011 Harbor Department revenue transfer to the Tidelands Operations Fund, and that amount was subsequently appropriated by the City Council as part of the FY 2011 Adopted Budget. The remaining $4,000,000 needed for the Phase 1 Project is requested as part of the recommended action. The Phase 1 contract will be executed in phases, a small portion prior to the anticipated State Lands Commission approval to ensure this safety-related project is started as soon as possible; the balance will be executed only after State Lands Commission approval. The award of this contract will provide continued support to our local economy.
The cost of the required HMP at Colorado Lagoon is currently estimated at $5,000,000, and this amount will be requested in the Tidelands Operations Fund (TF 401) as part of the FY 2015 Proposed CIP Budget.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER
JOHN GROSS
DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
ARA MALOYAN, P.E.
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS