STAFF REPORT
City of Lancaster
NB 1
8/25/2026
TN
Date:August 25, 2026
To: Mayor Parris and City Council Members
From:Marissa Diaz, Director - Public Works
George Harris, Deputy City Manager/Treasurer
Sonya Patterson, Director - Parks, Arts, Recreation & Community Services Nicholas Godin, Assistant Director - PW City Engineering Subject:Memorandum of Understanding with the Antelope Valley Union High School District and Award of Design-Build Services – Public Works Construction Project No. 25-008, Marvin E. Crist Aquatics Facility
Recommendations:
1. Approve a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Antelope Valley Union High School District (AVUHSD) establishing the general framework for shared use, operational responsibilities, and a proposed 50/50 cost sharing arrangement for the design and construction of the Marvin E. Crist Aquatics Facility, and authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute the agreement and related documents.
2. Appropriate $8,000,000.00 into Capital Improvement project string CP11BS050.CONST GL 84649900.8000 for initial project design services associated with the Marvin E. Crist Aquatics Facility, and recognize $8,000,000.00 in revenue in GL 84649900.4900.
3. Award a Design-Build professional services agreement to Bernards Bros Inc., of San Fernando, CA, in the amount of $84,786,165.00 plus a 10% contingency, for Public Works Construction Project No. 25-008 - Marvin E. Crist Aquatics Facility to design and construct an aquatic facility and associated site improvements. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to sign all documents. The design-build entity selection process was made in accordance with Chapter 4 of the Public Contract Code, as applicable, and negotiated in accordance with California Public Contract Code Section 6106.
4. Find that the City has complied with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) through certification of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared for the Parkway 2 5
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Village Specific Plan Area, adoption of mitigation measures as part of the approval process, and a Notice of Determination filed with the State Clearing House (No. 2024020979) on February 17, 2026.
G.C. Section 84308: No
Fiscal Impact:
$93,264,781.50 (including 10% contingency). Approval of this action includes an initial appropriation of $8,000,000.000 for project design services. Additional project funding and appropriations for future phases will be presented to the City Council at a later date.
Background:
The Marvin E. Crist Aquatics Facility project proposes the development of a state-of-the-art aquatic facility within the City of Lancaster. The project site is located along 10th Street West between Avenue K-8 and Avenue K-15, east of Sgt. Steve Owen Memorial Park, within the Parkway Village Specific Plan area, and consists of three parcels (APNs 3128-004-013, 3128-004- 903, and 3128-004-902), including two vacant parcels and one parcel currently developed with an auto repair shop. The proposed facility is anticipated to include a range of aquatic amenities, which may consist of competition and diving pools, instructional and therapy pools, and interactive water features, subject to final design, programming, and funding determinations. In addition to aquatic components, the project is expected to provide supporting administrative offices, instructional classrooms, meeting spaces, and multi-purpose rooms. Upon completion, the facility is intended to expand recreational opportunities, support aquatic programming, and enhance overall quality of life for residents of the City.
The project site is located within the Parkway Village Specific Plan area, which was previously evaluated pursuant to CEQA. An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Specific Plan area was prepared, mitigation measures were adopted as part of the approval process, and a Notice of Determination was filed with the State Clearinghouse on February 17, 2026. The proposed project is consistent with the approved land use and development framework established for the area, and all applicable mitigation measures and environmental requirements will be implemented, as necessary.
As part of this action, the City Council will also consider approval of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Antelope Valley Union High School District (AVUHSD). The MOU establishes the general framework for shared use, operational responsibilities, and a proposed 50/50 cost-sharing arrangement for the design and construction of the Marvine E. Crist Aquatics Facility. The MOU is intended to serve as a predecessor to a future Joint Use Agreement (JUA), which will be developed at a later date. The project is anticipated to be funded through the issuance of municipal bonds.
On July 19, 2025, the Public Works Department, City Engineering Division, solicited qualifications and proposals from design-build entities, via Request for Qualifications & Proposals (RFQ&P) #863-25 for Design-Build Services. In alignment with the cooperative framework of the AVUHSD MOU, a representative from AVUHSD actively participated in the process by reviewing the RFQ&P prior to its release. The RFQ&P included a description of design-build services requested, Statement of Qualifications (SOQ), Qualification Questionnaire and submittal requirements, Technical Proposal and submittal requirements, local preference criteria, design- build entity selection process, and other additional information. Furthermore, the structure of both 2 5
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the RFQ&P and the resulting Design-Build Contract strictly conform to the cost-sharing operational terms establish in the AVUHSD MOU.
Per Section 2.2 of the Existing Community Workforce Agreement (CWA), this project is subject to the CWA by and between the City of Lancaster and Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council, and the Signatory Craft Councils and Unions. The PWCP 25-008 contract documents were prepared, and the project was advertised accordingly. Per Section 2.6(b) of the CWA. Letters of Assent shall be submitted by the Contractor and each of its subcontractors, of whatever tier, forty-eight (48) hours prior to commencement of work, or within forty-eight (48) hours after the award of Project Work to that Contractor (or subcontractor), whichever occurs later.
On August 27, 2025, seventeen companies attended the pre-qualification conference held at the City Hall Council Chambers. PlanetBids recorded 36 prospective bidders.
On October 1, 2025, four responsive bids were received. Based on the evaluation criteria, the top three highest-scoring Design-Build teams were shortlisted and invited to participate in interviews.
To ensure the interests of AVUHSD and the City were represented, the selection committee included the designated representative from AVUHSD.
On December 18, 2025, the City selected Bernards Bros Inc., as the preferred Design-Build entity after an extensive interview process. The results of the interview scores are shown below:
Design-Build Entity City Score
1. Bernards Bros Inc. San Fernando, CA 447.5
2. Suffolk Construction Los Angeles, CA 408.33
3. Pinner Construction Co. Inc. Anaheim, CA -1365.7
4. KPRS Construction Services, Inc. Brea, CA N/A*
*Not selected for Interview
The selected Design-Build team submitted a complete SOQ, and has negotiated in good faith with the City and AVUHSD to deliver the proposed Marvin E. Crist Aquatics Facility project. The team has demonstrated the ability to complete the construction scope within the established budget.
NG/RE/ef
Attachments:
Professional Services Agreement for Design-Build Services Memorandum of Understanding (AVUHSD)
Vicinity Map