Staff Report
City Council
Item No. {{section.number}}.D
Meeting Date: October 23, 2024
From: John A. Corella - Director of Public Works
Title: Reject Bids for the HSIP Cycle 9A Traffic Signal Improvements at Twelve Intersections Project
RECOMMENDATION:
To reject all bids received for the construction of the Highway Safety Improvements Program (HSIP) Cycle 9A Traffic Signal Improvements at Twelve Intersections Project (C08752); and direct staff to make the necessary revisions to the project specifications and to readvertise for construction bids.
BACKGROUND:
In December 2018, Cathedral City was awarded a $1,302,500 Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Cycle 9 grant to install advanced dilemma zone detection equipment, left turn phases, and pedestrian countdown heads at signalized intersections (Project).
The City of Cathedral City entered into an agreement for design professional services (Agreement) for traffic signal upgrades at ten (10) intersections, Federal Project Number HSIPL-5430(034) and City Project No. 8752 (Project), with Advantec Consulting Engineers (design consultant) on June 24, 2020. The list of the ten (10) intersections included:
1. Ramon Road and Whispering Palms Trail
2. Ramon Road and Cathedral Canyon Drive
3. Vista Chino and Avenue Quintana
4. Gerald Ford Drive and Plumley Road
5. East Palm Canyon Drive and El Dorado
6. Ramon Road and Desert Vista Road
7. Ramon Road and Da Vall Drive
8. Date Palm Drive and Via Olivera
9. Dinah Shore Drive and Plumley Road
10.Landau Drive and 30th Avenue
In February 2022, the City Council approved Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement with the design consultant for two (2) additional intersections to the Project as a result of the overlapping scope of work with the Coachella Valley Association of Governments’ (CVAG’s) Regional Traffic Signal Synchronization Project (CV Sync). The two additional intersections were:
1. Date Palm Drive and Gerald Ford Drive
2. Dinah Shore Drive and Cathedral Canyon Drive
In January 2024, the City Council approved Amendment No. 2 to the Agreement with the design consultant to assist during the bidding and construction phases of the Project.
In February 2024, the design consultant completed the final plans, specifications, and estimates (PS&E) for this project. Subsequently, city staff submitted the request for funding allocation (RFA) for the construction phase that was approved by Caltrans in April 2024, allowing the city to proceed with the construction phase for this project.
DISCUSSION:
On July 7, 2024, the City advertised an invitation to bid, requesting qualified contractors to perform the described scope of work found in Bid No. B24-58E, which included the plans and specifications for this project. This solicitation was made available to contractors for twenty-three (23) calendar days and advertised in the following locations:
•Desert Sun – Published on July 7, 2024
•PlanIt Print Works – From July 7, 2024, until July 30, 2024 •City Website – From July 7, 2024, until July 30, 2024
On July 30, 2024, the City received three (3) bid proposals for this project. The following table lists each bidder by total cost:
RANK CONTRACTOR AMOUNT
1 Elecnor Belco Electric, Inc. (Chino, CA) $1,939,943.00 2 Crosstown Electrical & Date, Inc. (Irwindale, CA) $2,069,575.00 3 DBX, Inc. (Temecula, CA) $2,246,127.00
Due to inflation and the increase in construction costs since 2018, the lowest bidder’s bid price was higher than the HSIP funds awarded for the construction of the project. To request additional HSIP funding from Caltrans, city staff worked with NAI Consulting (state/federal project support on-call consultant) and Albert A. Webb and Associates (traffic engineering on-call consultant) to update the benefit-cost ratio (BCR) with the lowest bidder’s bid prices.
The updated BCR score for the project did not meet the qualifying threshold to request additional HSIP funding.
City staff is proposing to reduce the scope of the project due to funding constraints. The reduction in scope of work will remove from the project the reconstruction of curb ramps, curb and gutter, sidewalk, adjustment of utilities, striping, and installation of new traffic signal cabinets. This reduction is a substantial change in the project’s scope of work. Thus, staff recommends all the bids be rejected by the City Council, the plans and specifications be revised, and the project be readvertised for a fair and competitive bid solicitation process.
City staff recommends the City Council to reject all bids received for the construction of the HSIP Cycle 9A Traffic Signal Improvements at Twelve Intersections Project (C08752); and direct staff to make the necessary revisions to the project specifications and to readvertise for construction bids.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This recommended action will not have a fiscal impact.
This project will be readvertised with a reduced scope of work and will be brought back to the City Council to award the construction contract.
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN:
Goal B: Community Investment
Objective: Cathedral City roads, gateways, public spaces, and other city infrastructure are well planned, designed, constructed, and maintained.
ATTACHMENTS:
None