DATE: April 25, 2023
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Director of Public Works
SUBJECT: Adopt a Resolution Rejecting all Bids, Approving Revised Plans and Specifications, and Calling for Bids for the Cesar Chavez Safe Routes to Schools Improvements Project, Project No. 05319
RECOMMENDATION
That Council adopts a resolution (Attachment II) rejecting all bids for the Cesar Chavez Safe Routes to Schools Improvements Project (SR2S), approving the revised plans and specifications, and calling for bids to be received on May 9, 2023.
SUMMARY
On January 24, 2023, Council approved the plans, specifications and call for bids for the SR2S Project. The SR2S Program, funded by Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC), supports safe access and mobility to and from schools by funding sustainable transportation improvement for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders. In FY22, the City was successful in obtaining the SR2S Mini-Grant to fund improvements for Cesar Chavez Middle School (CCMS), including installation of paint and post curb extensions, yellow high-visibility crosswalks and signage among other enhancements. One bid was received for this project. After reviewing the bid proposal, staff deemed the bid unresponsive and is requesting Council reject the sole unresponsive bidder, approve the revised plans, specifications, and call for construction bids to be received on May 9, 2023.
BACKGROUND
The California Department of Transportation made funding available for capital projects through the SR2S Program. This state legislated program has been active since 2000 and came into effect from the passage of an Assembly Bill and was subsequently extended. In February 2021, ACTC announced a funding opportunity to all cities and unincorporated areas in Alameda County for the SR2S Mini-Grant Program. The Program provided $1.7 million in Measure B – Local Transportation funds and Congestion Management Agency Transportation Improvement Program funds. In July 2021, ACTC awarded the City $162,000 for improvements at CCMS. On September 28, 2021, Council adopted Resolution No. 21-188 authorizing the City Manager to accept the grant funds and appropriate a total budget of $324,000 for the SR2S Program.
DISCUSSION
The State SR2S project selects projects that are developed with community participation in order to make walking and bicycling to school a more appealing mode of transportation and also improving the overall quality of life and maintaining a sustainable environment.
CCMS is located near the South Hayward BART Station and borders an active railroad track. A six-foot tall chain-link fence separates the school from Tennyson Road and the railroad corridor. The only pedestrian and vehicle access to the school is located on Whitman Street. CCMS has a high proportion of students walking to and from school. Since walking is one of the simplest, most effective, and affordable strategies for kids and adults to include physical activity daily, this project aims to make it safer for all pedestrians and bicyclists to walk and bike to school. This project also provides equitable improvements to South Hayward, an area that has historically been underserved.
Safety improvement recommendations include installation of yellow high-visibility crosswalks, paint and post curb extensions, advanced stop and yield marketing, median extension and signage. These recommended improvements were developed after the County of Alameda’s SR2S Team completed a School Safety Assessment (SSA) at the school in February 2018. The Team was comprised of staff from the City, ACTC, Hayward Unified School District (HUSD), CCMS, and parents of students attending schools in HUSD.
Council approved the plans and specifications and call for bids on January 24, 2023. At that time, Council members provided comments to revise the project plans to include a dedicated bike lane at the intersection of Whitman Street and Tennyson Road. Staff discussed these comments with the project consultant engineer and prepared revised bid documents as per Council’s feedback. After incorporating the design changes, the project was advertised for bidding. The bid opening for this project was on March 7, 2023 and one bid was received. The Engineer’s estimate for this project was $213,100. The bid received from Central Pacific Engineering, Inc. (Central Pacific), was $309,506, which is 45% higher than the engineer’s estimate.
Staff reviewed the bid and found the bid amounts for several bid items were not in the typically acceptable range. Because only one bid was received, the Public Contract Code allows for direct negotiations with the contractor. Staff met with the contractor to negotiate bid items that staff considered were not in line with the current industry range and requested a revised bid. Central Pacific submitted a revised bid on March 15, 2023. The revised bid is still considered unresponsive and is 44% higher than the engineer’s estimate.
Because staff considers the revised bid also unresponsive, staff is requesting Council reject the bid.
The plans and specifications have been revised to better reflect the project needs and Staff seeks Council’s approval of the revised plans, specifications, and call for bids to be received by May 9, 2023.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
This item supports the mobility goals established in the City’s 2040 General Plan, providing a balanced multi-modal system of transportation facilities and services throughout the City. The alternative modes of travel, namely walking and biking, will reduce congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, and costs related to single-lane occupancy vehicles. The overall transportation system will be more efficient and pedestrian and bicycle friendly, creating positive economic and health benefits.
FISCAL IMPACT
The SR2S Project has a total appropriated budget of $324,000 in the FY 2023 Adopted CIP Budget. The project is partially funded through an ACTC grant, which will reimburse up to fifty percent of the estimated construction cost (not-to-exceed $162,000). The project budget is outlined below. This item has no impact on the General Fund.
Measure BB – Local Transportation (Fund 212) $324,000
Includes ACTC SR2S $162,000 Mini-Grant
STRATEGIC ROADMAP
This item supports Council’s strategic priority of Invest in Infrastructure. Specifically, this item relates to the implementation of the following project(s):
Project N8(d): Implement Safe Routes to School
SUSTAINABILITY FEATURES
This item has no direct sustainability features.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Staff has been in contact with ACTC and the public regarding this item. In February 2018, the SR2S Team completed the SSA. The City conducted a public survey in early 2022 to gather community input. In March 2022, staff presented the project and recommended improvements at a community meeting.
NEXT STEPS
If Council approves this request, staff will republicize the project and collect bids on May 9, 2023. Staff will return to Council for award of the construction contract after bids have been received and reviewed. The following schedule has been developed for this project:
Receive Bids May 9, 2023
Award Construction Contract June 2023
Complete Construction August 2023 Prepared by: Saeed Saebi, Associate Civil Engineer Kathy Garcia, Deputy Director of Public Works
Recommended by: Alex Ameri, Director of Public Works
Approved by:
_________________________________
Kelly McAdoo, City Manager
CITY OF HAYWARD - File #: CONS 23-033 (legistar.com)
CITY OF HAYWARD - File #: CONS 21-482 (legistar.com)