City Council Meeting:  August 14, 2007

Agenda Item: 1-J  

To:                   Mayor and City Council 

                        Chairperson and Redevelopment Agency

 

From:              Craig Perkins, Director – Environmental and Public Works Management

Subject:          Award of Contracts for 2nd and 4th Streets Pedestrian and Streetscape Improvements

 

Recommended Action

Staff recommends that the City Council:

1.      award a construction contract to Griffith Company, the best bidder, in the amount of $7,248,650 plus a 5% contingency, for a total amount not to exceed $7,611,083;

2.      authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a professional services agreement with PBS&J Company for construction management services, for a total amount not to exceed $600,000;

3.      authorize the City Engineer to issue any necessary change orders to the construction contract to complete additional work within budget authority;

4.      authorize the City Manager to execute a Cooperation Agreement between the City and the Redevelopment Agency for costs associated with the 2nd and 4th Streets Pedestrian and Streetscape Improvement Project; and

5.      adopt a resolution finding that the proposed improvements are of benefit to the Earthquake Recovery Redevelopment Project Area. 

Staff recommends that the Redevelopment Agency:

 

1.   authorize the Executive Director to execute a Cooperate Agreement between the City and the Redevelopment Agency for payment of costs associated with the 2nd and 4th Streets Pedestrian and Streetscape Improvement Project; and

2.   adopt a resolution finding that the proposed improvements are of benefit to the Earthquake Recovery Redevelopment Project area.

 

Executive Summary

The 2nd and 4th Streets Pedestrian and Streetscape Improvements Project covers the eight blocks between Wilshire Boulevard and Colorado Avenue and includes the installation of an additional 139 new Ginkgo trees, removal of 54 existing ficus trees, new closely-spaced pedestrian lighting to illuminate the sidewalk area, the enlargement of tree-wells and the addition of decorative uplighting to the ficus trees, enhancement of the six mid-block crosswalks on 2nd and 4th Streets, accessibility improvements and repair of ficus tree damaged sidewalks and curbs.  Council approved the project design, including the removal of some trees, on October 11, 2005.  As the result of a subsequent review by the new Planning and Community Development Director in late 2006, the total number of trees proposed to be removed was further reduced.

 

Staff recommends that the construction contract be awarded to Griffith Company, the best bidder.  Funding for this project is from various sources, including $1,836,000 in Federal Transportation Enhancement Activities funds which must be awarded by August 30, 2007, or the funds will expire.  The final project design that was submitted to Caltrans for review and approval cannot be modified or the grant funds will be forfeited.

 

Discussion

Background

On October 11, 2005, City Council conceptually approved the schematic design for 2nd and 4th Streets that included the new closely spaced pedestrian lighting similar to the Transit Mall fixture, curb extensions at the mid-block crosswalks to provide greater visibility and shorten the exposure of pedestrians to traffic while crossing the streets, replacement of alternating ficus trees with two Ginkgo trees, ficus tree uplighting,  curb ramp accessibility improvements, and repair of tree damaged sidewalks and curbs.  (See Exhibits)

 

The project is located on 2nd and 4th Streets from Wilshire Boulevard to Colorado Avenue.  Project improvements were identified as a third phase in the Downtown Urban Design Plan and were initially funded through a $2.169 million grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.  The improvements will enhance the environment along these streets including enhanced lighting for those utilizing the many transit lines that run through downtown and the City’s six public parking structures on 2nd and 4th Streets.  The eight blocks of improvements include the installation of 139 Ginkgo trees, removal of up to 54 ficus trees, installation of new pedestrian/street light fixtures, upgrading the electrical service, irrigation and structured soil, enlargement of the ficus tree-wells, addition of decorative uplighting, enhancement of the existing six mid-block crosswalks by installing curb extensions and installation of new accessible curb cuts.

 

Public Outreach

Community workshops were held on April 4th and 9th, 2005, to explore and reconfirm the vision for the project.  Workshop invitations were sent directly to all business owners, residents and property owners within the downtown area and the workshops were advertised in three local papers.  A survey was distributed at the community meetings and to anyone who was not able to attend a meeting but wanted to voice an opinion.  Input was also gathered from the Bayside District and the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce at their monthly meetings. 

 

Subsequent to the City Council approval of the schematic design in October 2005, staff proceeded with the detailed design phase of the project and refined the tree placement plan.  Individual trees were evaluated and it was determined that an additional 8-9 of the larger “specimen” trees could be retained and still provide the spacing necessary for the pedestrian lighting and other amenities.  Of the approximately 181 total street trees in the project area, 106 remain; 31 ficus trees will be removed and replanted elsewhere in the City; 23 of the ficus trees that have been identified as diseased, beyond their useful life or unable to survive a transplant, will be removed and converted to compost; and 21 palm trees will be removed and relocated within the City.

 

Contractor Selection

Notice Inviting Bids were published in the Santa Monica Daily Press on Wednesday May 16, 2007, and Thursday May 17, 2007, and the bid package was sent to nine public plan rooms.  The Notice Inviting Bids was also posted on the Civil Engineering and Architecture Division’s webpage.  Nineteen contractors requested bid packages, five companies attended the pre-bid job walk, and one sealed bid was received by the City Clerk’s office and publicly opened on June 19, 2007, by the Deputy City Clerk.  Only one bid was received as follows:

 

Company Name

Bid Amount

Griffith Company

$7,248,650

 

The one bid that was received is approximately $400,000 greater than the Engineering estimate used for project budgeting purposes.  The bid was evaluated based on Federal grant requirements per Caltrans.  The Federal grant requires that the contract be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder.  The grant administrator, Caltrans, verified that a single bid qualifies as the lowest responsible bidder.  The bid documents required documentation of at least three projects similar in nature to the 2nd and 4th Streets Pedestrian and Streetscape Improvements Project. 

 

Griffith Company supplied the City with the names of previous similar projects.  These projects include the Incline Baggage Screening Project (Los Angeles World Airport), Ramon Road Project (County of Riverside), Magnolia Boulevard Improvements (City of Burbank), and the Ontario Airport Runway (Los Angeles World Airport).  City staff contacted the referenced agencies and all respondents reported that the Griffith Company work was completed in a timely and cost-efficient manner while maintaining consistent quality.  City staff contacted the Center for Contract Compliance and found Griffith Company is in good standing and capable of handling labor compliance issues.  City staff also verified with the State Contractors License Board that Griffith Company, license is current, active, and in good standing.

 

Construction Management Selection

The City requested Statements of Qualifications for construction management services on July 19, 2006.  Ten firms submitted Statements of Qualifications, which were reviewed and rated by Environmental and Public Works Management (EPWM) staff.  Selection criteria included direct experience on similar projects, staffing efficiency, cost of services, technical competence, understanding of the project’s scope, approach to the work, qualification of proposed staff, and the ability to meet required time frames.  The top four firms qualified for the 2nd and 4th Streets Pedestrian and Streetscape Improvements Project were invited to interview with the City.  Staff from EPWM interviewed the four firms on February 27 and 28, 2007.  PBS&J Company is considered the top ranked firm. 

 

PBS&J Company is recommended to provide construction management services.  Their services will include construction oversight and continuous inspection of the contractor’s work during demolition, tree relocation, locating underground utilities, sidewalk construction, lighting systems installation, managing traffic control and detour plans, reviewing submittals and change order requests, conducting weekly progress meetings, providing information to the contractor on an as-needed basis, and maintaining all necessary project documentation relevant to the work conducted during construction.  PBS&J Company has relevant experience working on streetscape and sidewalk projects for the City of Dana Point and street resurfacing, bike-lane and pedestrian walkway projects for the City of Del Mar. 

 

Redevelopment Considerations

To authorize the use of Redevelopment funds for the Project, the City Council and Agency must make the appropriate determinations as required by the State of California Health and Safety Code Section 33445.  The attached resolutions find that the use of these funds is 1) a benefit to the Earthquake Recovery Redevelopment Project area; 2) no other reasonable means of financing the improvements are available; 3) the payment of funds for the Project will assist in the elimination of one or more blighted conditions inside the Earthquake Recovery Redevelopment Project area by assisting in the elimination of one or more of the conditions resulting from the 1994 Northridge Earthquake disaster; and 4) the Project is consistent with the Agency’s Five-Year Implementation Plan.  The Cooperation Agreement will delegate to the City the Agency’s authority to carry out the proposed improvements and provide for the Agency’s funding of those costs.

 

Budget/Financial Impact

In December 2006, the California Transportation Commission authorized an eight-month extension of the $2.169 million Federal Transportation Enhancement Activities (TEA) grant the City obtained from Metro (approximately $300,000 of this amount has already been spent during the design process).  If the construction contract for the project is not awarded prior to the end of August, this entire grant amount will be forfeited.  The City also applied for supplemental TEA funding in the amount of $762,000.  However, it has not yet been decided by Caltrans whether the entire supplemental grant amount can be used for the project due to restrictive Federal requirements.  City staff does not know when Caltrans will make their final determination on the supplemental TEA funding.

 

As a result of a bid that came in higher than the Engineer’s estimate, the potential loss of the $762,000 in TEA supplemental grant funding, and a significant number of bid items that are ineligible under Community Development Block Grant and Prop A and C regulations, it is recommended that the budget shortfall be made up through the use of Redevelopment Agency funds.  If the City receives all or a portion of the supplemental TEA grant funds, the Redevelopment Agency commitment will be reduced by an equal amount.  As a result of City Council direction at the time of concept design approval, staff explored alternatives for funding including possible assessment to the improvement district.  Although not a part of this proposed action, staff and the Bayside District Corporation are looking into additional assessments for other capital projects in the district.

Funds are available in the following accounts:

Account Number                   Source of Funding                   Amount

C200646.589010                 Proposition A                        $       80,000

C200646.589020                 Proposition C                               968,102

C190646.589000                 CDBG                                       2,027,347

C200464.589000                 TEA Grant Funds                     1,797,393

C010456.589000                 General Fund                         301,263

C010646.589000                 General Fund                         506,382

C170776.589000                 Redevelopment Agency          2,530,596

 

                                                                                    Total:  $8,211,083

Prepared by:  Mark Cuneo, Principal Civil Engineer

Approved:

 

Forwarded to Council:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Craig Perkins

Director - Environmental and Public Works Management Department

 

P. Lamont Ewell

City Manager

 

 

Attachments:              City Council Resolution

                                    Redevelopment Agency Resolution

                                    Exhibit 1 & 2