ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: February 26, 2025 AGENDA CATEGORY: Consent - Bids TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Zachary Meyer, Public Works Director
DATE: February 5, 2025
SUBJECT: Reject bids for Street Corridor Improvements along Chester Avenue from Brundage Lane to Truxtun Avenue.
(Ward 2)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the rejection of the bids.
BACKGROUND:
The Street Corridor Improvements along Chester Avenue from Brundage Lane to Truxtun Avenue is part of the Downtown Master Streetscape Plan that will enhance various improvements in downtown Bakersfield along one of its main roadway networks. The work consists, in general, of roadway excavation, rehabilitation of the existing pavement, adjusting manholes and monument covers, construction of minor concrete curb/gutter and access ramps, medians, decorative and stamped concrete, decorative pavers, landscaping improvements, irrigation systems, storm drainage improvements, bioswales, street lighting improvements, street furniture, monument s (decorative), aesthetic features, installation of striping, pavement marking, bike lane striping, and traffic signal detector loops.
This project is predominately federally funded through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant. The City was able to obtain a $10,000,000 RAISE grant through a competitive grant process. The grant funding stipulates that a construction contract must be awarded by June 30, 2027 and the grant funding must be expended by June 30, 2032. This project also includes $3,000,000 in Public Safety and Vital Services (PSVS) funding.
The Engineer’s Estimate for the Base Bid of this project was $15,500,000. The project also had an Additive Alternate, but the lowest bid was based on who submitted the lowest base bid amount.
On November 14, 2024, the City received four (4) bids out of the five (5) pre -approved bidders on the Final Bidders List for this project. All bids came in significantly higher than the budgeted funds for this project. Those submitted bids are listed below:
Griffith Company
1128 Carrier Parkway Ave in the amount of Base Bid: $19,619,155.00 Bakersfield, CA 93308
Bowman Asphalt, Inc.
3333 Gibson Street in the amount of Base Bid: $21,969,297.00 Bakersfield, CA 93308
Cen-Cal Construction
34762 Lencioni Avenue in the amount of Base Bid: $22,093,871.40 Bakersfield, CA 93308
C.A Rasmussen, Inc.
28548 Livingston Avenue in the amount of Base Bid: $25,211,785.61 Valencia, CA 91355
Staff recommends that all bids be rejected and that the project be readvertised at a later date . Staff will work with various contractors to get value engineering items implemented into the redesign which will bring down the overall costs without jeopardizing the scope of work or RAISE grant funding. Staff has already received positive feedback about lowering some of the costs of the project which will help reduce the funding shortfall.
Public Works s taff and City Managers Office staff will continue to seek for and recommend additional funds when this is brought back to City Council in the new Fiscal Year (FY 2025 -2026). Staff anticipate readvertising the project once the redesign is implemented and the project is fully funded.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There are no City General Funds impacts associated with the rejection of bids, also the primary source of fund for the project is a Federal RAISE Grant program which the City successful was awarded in 2023.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Reliable Infrastructure
ATTACHMENTS:
N/A