Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: CONSIDER AWARDING THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT
FOR THE SUNFLOWER PARK IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT
Date: July 8, 2025
Written by: Craig Scott, Director of Public Works/City Engineer Recommendation
It is recommended the City of Cotati City Council adopt a resolution awarding the Construction agreement for the Sunflower Park Improvements Project and authorizing the City Manager to execute said agreement and any change orders or amendments to the Construction Management Agreement up to the authorized project budget amount.
Background
In late 2019, the City of Cotati (City) approved the Parks Capital Plan for all parks in Cotati. The plan includes concepts for amenities, improvements, and upgrades to Cotati parks based on community input, with planning level cost estimates and relative priorities. In 2023, the City completed capital improvements for Kotate Park and is nearing completion on improvements at Helen Putnam Park. In 2024, City Council approved the design agreement for the Sunflower Park Improvements Project.
Analysis/Discussion
The design for the Sunflower Improvements Project (Project) was completed and the bidding period began in early June. The Project Plans are available on the City’s Cleargov site (https://cleargov.com/california/sonoma/city/cotati/projects) and a hard copy is available for viewing at City Hall, Public Works office. On July 1, 2025, the City received and opened five bids. The bids ranged from $1,337,215.00 to $1,716,752.09 (Base Bid Plus Add Alternatives Bid items). The average of the bids was $1,477,374. The low bidder was M3 Integrated Services, Inc. with a total bid price 10.3 percent under the engineer’s estimate. The low bidder’s bid was reviewed and found to be responsive and Staff is recommending it for award. Design assistance during construction and Construction Management and Inspection services are included in the design contract, approved by the City in 2023, with Integra Planning + Landscape Architecture.
Staff received a bid protest from the second low bidder. It alleges that low bid was nonresponsive because the masonry subcontractor doesn’t have the required contractors license for masonry. Staff received a preliminary response from the low bidder that indicates that its General Contractor’s license authorizes it to perform the work making the bid responsive.
Subject to review of the low bidder’s formal response, staff is recommending that the bid protest be rejected.
Following the award, and allowing time to process the contract documents, mobilization is expected to occur in early August. 120 working days are specified for project completion, excluding holidays and wet weather. Weather dependent, the Project would be completed in early December 2025.
Financial Considerations
For Fiscal Year 2025/26 the City has an adopted budget of $2,055,000 for the Project made up of contributions as follows; $11,500 from Park In-Lieu, $900 from Bed Tax, $116,500 from Parks Measure M, $1,000 from the In-Lieu Tree Fund, $531,250 from State Grants, and $1,393,850 from the General Fund.
As the lowest bidder and proposed total project not to exceed amount was less than the budget amount, Staff proposes reducing the budget transfers for the General Fund:
Expense Amount
Construction Agreement $1,337,215
Construction Engineering $27,000
Construction Contingency $150,000
Total Expense $1,514,215
Prior Year Fy24/25 $69,800 (est.)
FY 25/26 Adopted Project Budget $2,055,000
Reduced budget transfer amount $540,785
Environmental Issues
This action is found to qualify for a Class 1 Categorical Exemption under CEQA Section 15301 in that the project consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of the existing or former use.